Shadows in the Wasteland
by Raziel the Selkie
Summary: Such a disappointment. He would have loved to keep this one's soul, lock it tight into a special lantern where she would spend the rest of eternity with him and clip her wings. This has permission to be posted on RoyalRoadL.
1. Chapter 1

**Shadows in the Wasteland**

A lone figure wandered the darkened forest of the Shadow Isles. Dead trees spread their strangled limbs to the sky and ghostly plants glowed with an eerie light which provided paltry illumination to the eternal darkness in this place. However, another source of light bloomed in this morbid forest, and then the sound of chains rattling approached. A lantern hovered from a skeletal hand while bobbing from its handle and the sepulchral tones of the damned could be heard within. Joining this chorus of agony was the humming of the Warden himself, singing a childhood nursery rhyme that was sung about him in ages past, long after he met his grisly end of being hanged by his own chains. His chains rattled as he spun the part where his sickle is attached, going round and round, clink clank go the chains.

However, something was amiss. The chain warden stopped spinning the chained sickle for a moment while his humming ceased. Even the souls of the damned within his lantern quiet their lamentations. Thresh then turned, his visage a perpetual sneer, a defiant expression mocking the futility of life, for death was always inevitable for all things. He then threw the part of his chains with the sickle at the end, throwing it to a nearby patch of bushes. He heard a startling _clink!_ and he knew that he caught something. Like a worm on a hook.

Humming gleefully to himself, he then approached the bushes and entered inside. What he saw further amused him. "Why, what a surprise to find the Fist of Shadow here. Even if you bear such a title, I can't say that the Shadow Isles welcome you here. Pray tell, what are you doing here?"

Akali stared defiantly towards Thresh. Thresh enjoyed the fact she did not flinch or waver underneath his stare. This one had a particularly strong will. He liked that. "You can do something for me. Shen told me interesting things about you, Chain Warden."

Thresh let out a laugh, which startled the crows from their roosting places in the trees. Oh, was this woman telling him what to do? What insolence! Thresh would have disciplined her under normal circumstances, though alas, the Summoners hold over them all prevented the Champions from fighting each other off the battlefield. Nor could Thresh keep the souls of the Champions he saw on the battlefield, either. Such a disappointment. He would have loved to keep this one's soul, lock it tight into a special lantern where she would spend the rest of eternity with him and clip her wings.

Thresh decided he would entertain this woman. He had been suffering from ennui as of late. It also wasn't common for people to approach the Shadow Isles of their own free will, either. "Oh? Do tell. Does the Eye of Twilight really see everything?"

Akali paused for a moment, before saying, "He said that you can summon spirits from the dead and let people talk with them."

"Did he now?" Thresh said as he began to walk even closer to Akali, hovering over her. Up close, he stared into her eyes and there was still no sign of fear. Yet there was a hint of hesitation as well. Perhaps Thresh could stir up more uncertainty within her, perhaps fear. He then puts a skeletal hand on her shoulder, gently, like a lover would. "It might cost you more than your soul, dear."

"I want to speak with my mother," Akali said in a tone dead of emotion, breaking eye contact slightly to look at the hand on her shoulder and tensing the slightest bit. Good.

"Ah, of course," Thresh said, before he retracts his hand from her shoulder, though he does pull Akali closer to him with his chains. "You do have a striking resemblance to her. Hm. Though what do I get in return for compensation?"

Akali glanced at Thresh warily. "You can't have my soul, Thresh."

"No, no…such a disappointment," Thresh said. "But I have another proposal…"

Akali still said nothing, staying still as a statue. Thresh then went on to say, "I want you to harvest some souls for me. I know of your abilities, Fist of Shadow. You can easily give me one hundred souls, can't you?"

"I could," Akali said, her eyes narrowing before she gave him that defiant stare again.

Thresh laughed, finding maddening humor about the entire situation. Oh, this was too rich! The Fist of Shadow came to the Shadow Isles to approach him, the Chain Warden, a madman that tortured prisoners centuries past and lived on as a deathly specter to torment those before and after death. He heard stories about the Fist of Shadow, simply by listening to the gossip of the other Champions in the League. How she joined at a young age, at the tender age of fourteen, and chopped a hanging chain with her bare hand for her Judgment. She could have, in fact, cut off the chains that were binding her now, but she did not. So young…so impressionable. So easily corrupted, as long as Thresh coaxed her in the right direction.

He would elicit that bloodthirsty side of her, as her duty of the Pruning of the Tree. It all benefited him as well, of course. Thresh needed to harvest more souls for his dark bidding. But this young Ionian woman, barely at the age of womanhood at eighteen, was a ripe soul. So full of vitality, and there was a hidden violent aura radiating from her soul. However, there was the Eye of Twilight to deal with. And that troublesome pest Kennen. In fact, Thresh knew for certain that the Eye of Twilight probably lingered somewhere nearby, hidden in the shadows, keeping a silent vigil over Akali.

"Well then…" Thresh said as he unbound the chains from around Akali and gesturing her the way out with his lantern. "If that is all…then you know what to do…"

Akali gives a silent nod, before a smoke shroud enveloped the area where she had been. Once the smoke vanished, Akali, too, was gone. The Fist of Shadow was an apt title.

"You cannot cage her, Chain Warden," The Eye of Twilight said as he made his presence known to Thresh.

Thresh turned with an amused look on his features, before saying, "Ah, so now you finally show yourself. Tell me, Shen…would you like to talk to your father?"

Shen's expression remained the immoveable and stoic visage that he always bore. "I will be watching you."

Then Shen disappeared, succinct as always. Though Thresh had other matters to attend to while the mechanisms of his mind began thinking of schemes. Oh, he had eternity on his side; he was patient, so patient. No matter how long it took, he will break her soul

 **Author's Note** : I love Thresh a lot. He's a delicious character to write, and I also like Akali, and thinking of writing those two together would be an interesting venture. This is supposed to be a longer story or something, then the usual drabbles that I write, though I can't promise that I will be able to finish this. However, I thought posting this on would give you a taste of the writing projects that I've written, and I hope that you enjoy it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Must you really go to him?" Shen said to Akali as she emerged from the bed, twining her fingers through her long hair. "He is a madman. He is not one to be negotiated with."

Akali stopped for a moment as she began to get changed into her regular attire, before saying softly. "I do what I must. This is very important to me, Shen…I know you're worried about me, but…"

She hesitated for a moment, thinking about what to say next. Why did she feel compelled to go Thresh in the first place? Because she heard silly rumors from the other champions that you're able to talk to any soul within his lantern for a certain price? Was she really that stubborn and foolhardy to go through whatever Thresh wished, just to speak with her mother again?

 _But there were so many answers left unsaid,_ Akali thought to herself. _So many questions that only she can answer._

"But you feel that it is worth sacrificing more than just your soul to get the answers you seek," Shen said.

"Shen, you're getting awfully emotional about this," Akali said, before smiling a bit teasingly to him. "Isn't the Eye of Twilight supposed to be impartial to all matters?"

"Akali…" Shen said, giving her a rather stern look that meant he didn't prefer to be crossed today. "You know why I'm concerned about this matter."

"I know. I'm sorry that I have to put you through such pain, but…" Akali said before she looked down at the floor. "I haven't spoken with her for such a long time. And the last time I did…I defied her will."

"I understand that certain matters being unresolved makes you feel…uncomfortable, restless, but I don't believe it's very prudent for you to ask Thresh to see your mother's soul."

"I can't have it weighing on my mind," Akali said softly. "If I have this weighing on my mind every time I'm fighting in the League, it's going to eventually get me killed. I can't have that happen. I need this, Shen. Please."

"Must you really stain your hands for his own dark purposes?"

"Please Shen…I'm the Pruning of the Tree. When I took this responsibility, I knew what it was that I must do."

Shen said nothing to that, though she could still sense his lingering disapproval.

"I wish you would rethink your decision," Shen said. "Though if that's what you truly desire, then I suppose that there's no stopping you.

-x-

As he expected, the Fist of Shadow arrived once more into his realm, his territory. She was as good as her word, though Thresh believed that the Fist of Shadow refused to have her pride shattered by declining a challenge, even if it was from someone of dubious reputation such as himself. Well, actually, it was pretty well known amongst the League that Thresh was a complete and utter madman who went by his own whims and rules. He was a capricious creature of change, who could shift from one mood to another in a matter of minutes, or he could tauntingly give his victims a last minute hope, perhaps, before he changed his mind and slaughtered them anyway. But Akali, this one was special. He wanted to see how long the Fist of Shadow would endure his 'program'.

"I've harvested your souls, just as you asked," Akali said as she took off her mask and licked her lips in anticipation. Thresh could see the eager light in her eyes of wanting to talk with her mother, who died at such a very young age. How _unfortunate_.

"Yes you did," Thresh replied. "I'm actually impressed by your handiwork. Though did you think I would just have you stop here? No, there are more things that I require of you."

Akali looked like she wanted to protest against this, though Thresh merely put a gauntleted finger against her lips and said, "Ssh. You're in my _territory_ now. These are where my rules and conditions are laid."

Thresh then went to absorb the souls that Akali gathered into his lantern, relishing the delightful screams that came from the tormented. Ah yes, these souls would do, they would do well in sustaining him and his spectral being. The wonderful thing about his lantern is that the souls were all confined into one space, which meant that the soul trapped within heard the thoughts of everyone and their own thoughts could be heard to the others as well. There was no escaping your sins in there, which Thresh delighted in.

"Now," Thresh said as he turned to look at Akali. "If you wish to see a glimpse of your mother, I would like for you to do another important task for me."

Akali's face, which glimmered with hope at the prospect of seeing her mother, now suddenly turned into its usual stony façade. "What do you want?"

"I want you to continue gathering souls for me," Thresh said."I believe that our goals are aligned in this matter. You wish to get revenge against Zed, yes?"

"After all that he's done…" Akali said while clenching her hands into fists, before closing her eyes and sighing. The tension removed from her body, loosening her shoulders and spine from it's rigid position before. "But why should I require your assistance to get revenge against Zed? It's not like we can permanently kill anyone as long as the Summoners are around. As much as I'd like to get my hands around his neck and strangle him, I…"

Akali's gaze dropped. The momentary bloodlust that flared up within her soul disappeared as soon as it came. Though oh, it was still there, and Thresh thrived on it. Violence and catastrophe were Thresh's bread and butter, of course, if he required such sustenance in the first place. He was a specter, after all.

"I will do as you say," Akali said, before she disappeared.

Thresh would've grinned if his visage allowed him to do so. He had her hook, line, and sinker.

 **Author's Note: I think that these chapters are going to be short and sweet. That would make it easier for me to update. I also apologize for the long wait, I'm focusing more on my original fiction rather than my fanfiction, but I still had this little juicy piece to put up and I was like, "Well, why not update it?" If you would like to see my original works, you can look up on fictionpress or hazelnutbrew on . If you would like to see more works from me, such as writing or artwork, you can donate to my or commission me on my deviantart, which is also under the name hazelnutbrew. Thanks very much for reading, by the way!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Akali was in the training room of the League for Champions. She practiced stretching and squats, sinewy muscles showing dynamism in the fine lines and curves of athletic body. She sensed another presence in the room, and she turned around and hastily grabbed her kamas to defend herself from an intruder. Stepping out from the shadows was a diminutive creature known as a Yordle. This particular Yordle, however, was her friend—and his name was Kennen.

"Kennen, you scared me," Akali said while letting out a gentle laugh before patting the Yordle on the head gently. "How're you doing?"

"You, scared?" Kennen said teasingly, before his normally jovial demeanor turned more serious. "Shen seems to be in a fitful mood. Is there any reason in particular for that?"

Akali knew. She knew that Shen still disapproved of her meeting with Thresh, and the reason why she wanted to do his bidding. Though Kennen had a jovial demeanor and was quick to forgive, he didn't like Zed, though he didn't exactly approve of Thresh, either. Both of them thought that Thresh was a bad influence on Akali. Though Akali was an adult. Shouldn't she be able to make her own deciisons? She was doing this for herself, not for any of them, and she needed answers. Did her mother die in vain as the Pruning of the Tree? Why did the Summoners execute her? Akali was only a child back then, and she understood that the world was a cruel place, but she also knew that if she had a way to ask the source herself, she would do anything to find the answer.

"Let Shen be," Akali said while she stared off into the distance, absently petting Kennen on the head and standing up. "I'm sure his emotions will resolve themselves. For now…I need to train."

"Such wasted potential," a dark voice said, and Akali knew whose voice that was. Zed.

"You're not welcome here," Akali said in a terse tone, and Kennen also tensed. Zed merely looked at his sharpened blades in disinterest.

"My shadows see everything," Zed said ,his red eyes glaring into Akali. "Spar with me, Akali."

Kennen's more jovial expression turned serious as he noted the fighting auras surrounding Zed and Akali. They would rip one another's throats out if they could, and Kennen was determined to not have blood spilled in the training rooms, for God's sake.

"You two, there will be a time when you're in a match together," Kennen said calmly. "You can vent out your aggression there. If you fight here, you will only be punished by the Summoners. And I know that the Summoners…have various methods of persuasion. And by methods of persuasion, I mean that they can do horrible things to you and that you shouldn't test their patience."

Zed glared at the Yordle, but said nothing. Akali's hands clenched involuntarily into fists. She ached to strangle the Shadow Ninja, feel his neck snap between his fingers. Her hands were strong enough to break a chain—why not break a man's neck?

"I bet if I were to use one shadow clone," Zed said. "Akali would lose to it. She cannot face me as she is now. But I know that Akali is doing something that is against all or our interests. Even though I have no love for Shen, I agree with him on this matter. Someone is corrupting her."

"Why would you care anyway, Zed," Akali said hotly, her face flushing. "It's none of your business who I spend time with!"

"If you can't face me, Akali, then you have no right to face your mother," Zed said.

Akali felt anger flare up within her, and she hurled the first punch towards Zed's face. He materialized into a shadow clone and emerged behind her, where he put a blade to her throat. Akali used her shroud to get some of the smokescreen through the slats in Zed's mask, and Zed coughed and sputtered while she dashed out of his grasp and put a safe distance between herself and Zed. Zed glared at her, brandishing his blades menacingly and taking on a more defensive stance.

Shen teleported to Akali's side to protect her, and he drew his blade towards Zed in warning.

"Zed…" Shen said, his yellow eyes narrowed towards the Shadow Master. "Are you so petty that you seek to humiliate Akali? She will surpass you one day, under the Kinkou ninjas."

"Shen, you are just as foolish as ever," Zed said, seeming to lose interest inthe fight now that it was three against one. "As for Akali, she has an unholy bloodlust for me. It's only natural that I return the favor. If it weren't for the Summoners standing between us, then I would've eliminated all three of you a long time ago."

Akali frowned beneath her mask. "I share the same sentiment, Zed. You have no right to be walking on this Earth after what you did to Shen."

"Siding with Shen, I see," Zed said. There was no emotion in his voice, though perhaps Akali heard slight regret in his voice? "I will see to it that you will regret that choice, Akali."

With that, Zed disappeared, slinking back into the shadows and transported into his shadow realm where he stayed hidden and obscured from view, always watching. Akali could still feel his eyes on her even while he shrank into the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Thresh returned to the Shadow Isles, accompanying a Summoner through the ghost strewn landscape and haunted trees. The Summoner seemed nervous, though Thresh thought his fear was misguided; the Summoners had vast power that was unimaginable and bound Champions to them. There should be no fear of Thresh; true, he was a madman, and his legend was horrifying to most, but it's not like Thresh could cut down the Summoner where he stood, as much as he hated to admit it. No, Thresh lacked the power to, and his relationship with Summoners was an uneasy one. He didn't like being under their control, he didn't like them probing his mind and binding him with magic, though that was how the relationship between Champions and Summoners worked.

This Summoner, a young page named Kai, swallowed when he noted the furtive rustling of creatures hiding in the brush. Thresh escorted him to the designated meeting area; someone named Thanatos would contact them. Ever since Thresh came to the League, Thanatos asked him to collect souls in a lantern for him, and Thresh obeyed. He'd never seen Thanatos's face before he would always communicate to them telepathically in their assigned spot at the knot of a tree that spread strangled limbs to the sky, deadened of leaves.

"I want to get out of here as soon as possible," Kai said, wide green eyes wide with fear. "Master Thanatos doesn't like to be kept waiting. If we're late, punishment rests upon me, and oh dear, it just wouldn't be good."

Thresh wanted to tell the fledgling Summoner to shut up, but kept his peace. The Summoners can inflict unimaginable pain on the Champions, to force them into obeisance. Thresh didn't know how long this relationship existed, though all the other Champions simply accepted it as the status quo. Though Thresh wanted to dig deeper underneath the surface. There was something about the entire situation that was bothering him, though the spectral being couldn't quite put a finger on it. The Summoners were hiding a secret from the Champions, that much was obvious. The other Champions wondered about it as well, though they didn't dare fight back against the hand that fed them. They were given luxuries and privileges in this world of Runeterra, lots of money and prestige and fame for participating in the gladiatorial games of the League. They could live in comfort if they can please. They also never seemed to die, no matter how badly marred or scarred or mauled they got when they fought in the League. When a Champion 'died', they went straight back to the Infirmary, though everything was blank for a few seconds before they found themselves back on the battlefield again. That was something suspicious, wasn't it?

"Thresh," the young Summoner said. "Are there times when you ever get scared?"

Thresh laughed inappropriately as though Kai were very foolish. Though, he wouldn't readily admit that even he feared the Summoners themselves. There was something about them, especially about Thanatos, that he couldn't quite place. He tried to remember and piece his memories together, though he found that he couldn't tell what his memories were outside the League. The Summoners merely told him his backstory, such as that he was a mad jailer that was hung by his own chains by rioting prisoners and became a specter to haunt those in the afterlife.

We're here," Thresh said simply, and he planted the lantern on a tree trunk that stood in the center of a clearing, as though offering these souls to a primordial god. Though Thresh was sure that Thanatos was not a god; the Summoners were mere mortals, like most beings in Runeterra. But still, something like Thresh himself; it seemed ridiculous that an entity like him could be controlled by mere mortals. Or someone like Xerath, who has went beyond the barriers of ascension and became a god like being that was put under the Summoners control. The Summoners must've had or done something to be able to manipulate all kinds of legendary heroes and villains and champions in the League. But how? That was what Thresh wanted to know.

 _So you've come_ , a telepathic voice said in the clearing, resonating everywhere at once, rebounding and echoing with ominous tones that even made Thresh pause. _Kai, you've been monitoring this Champion, haven't you?_

"Y-Yes," Kai said nervously. "He's been unusually cooperative."

 _Thresh. I will give you one warning only. You are overstepping your boundaries._

Thresh put a gauntleted hand in sweeping gesture, a mock bow towards Thanatos, to piss him off, if he could see him in the first place. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm merely a humble servant of the Summoners."

 _You are speaking to me with honeyed words. I do not believe you. But no matter. Should the time come that I should extend my hand, I can eliminate you with only a portion of the magical power that flows through my pinky finger to eliminate you, Thresh. Don't go probing into matters that are beyond your understanding. Am I clear?_

"Transparently," Thresh muttered, finally shifting from his mocking half bow. "Well then, if that's all you need from me…"

 _See to it that you continue harvesting souls,_ Thanatos said. _But remember. I am always watching._

Kai stood awestruck, before looking nervously at Thresh. "You're not planning on doing anything, are you, Mr. Thresh?"

"Oh no," Thresh said. "Why does everyone think so lowly of me? As I said, I'm merely a humble servant of the Summoners…"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I did everything that you asked," Akali said, impatience gleaming in her eyes while she stared down Thresh. Yet Thresh wouldn't be intimidated by this strong-willed girl.

"There's still more preparations to be made," Thresh asid, guiding her through the Shadow Isles to their usual spot. "You must fight against Zed in the midlane during the next match. I've arranged things so that you and Zed are likely to be matched together. There, you guys can have an uncaged match against one another."

Akali suddenly looked weary. "What if I can't defeat him?"

"Are you having second thoughts?" Thresh said. If he could grin, he would've, though that is to say, as a skeletal being, his visage was frozen in a perpetual monstrous sneer that mocked all life and humanity.

Akali shook her head. "No. I mustn't feel hesitation. Hesitation is the seed of defeat. That is what Shen always told me. I have to do this."

"I will also be part of your team," Thresh said reassuringly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She didn't tense this time. She probably was thinking about killing Zed with that bloodlust within her. Good. "If you need my assistance, I will be in bot lane. But I'm pretty sure that you can handle Zed yourself. I do have faith in your abilities."

"Seems like you're the only one who does," Akali membered, remembering that Shen doubted whether Akali could face Zed in midlane by herself. "Why does everyone insist on seeing me as a child?"

In comparison to Thresh, almost everyone else, including Shen and Zed, were considered children to him, though he decided not to pass on this remark to Akali. He needed to be in her good graces, because she was the key to discovering something that he had suspicions about. Though Thresh knew that Akali would probably lose against Zed, this was an essential part of his plan. Akali would probably go after Zed with more fervor and bloodlust in frustration, and end up dying some more every time. Though Thresh may have had a certain fondness for Akali's determination and her violent nature when tempered, Thresh knew that Akali needed to experience 'death' in the league to understand what his suspicions are about.

"It doesn't matter," Akali muttered. "I'm going to prove them both wrong. I'm perfectly capable of handling myself. I don't need them to act like my parents. I'm an adult now. And I want to be seen as their equal rather than the little girl that they mentored."

"Then you'll agree? To fight in a match against Zed?" Thresh said, trying to hide the amusement that threatened to emerge in his voice.

"I agree," Akali said. "I'll do it."

"Good," Thresh said, before he ushered her out of the Isles. "Don't keep me waiting."

Akali nodded, before she disappeared into the shadows. Her title as the Fist of Shadow was especially apt. He knew that she would be an important part of his plans, and Thresh wouldn't be disappointed.

—x—

Akali sensed someone watching her while she returned to the League Institute. Emerging from the shadows was none other than Zed himself, the master of Shadows.

"Zed," Akali said as she stiffened in anger. "What are you doing here/"

"I came here to tell you that I know your secrets," Zed said, watching her intently with red eyes. "That I know you very intimately. You will fight against me if you wish, but you will lose. I am the one who mentored you, after all, before you turned your back on me to Shen."

Akali's hands clenched into fists.

"I will defeat you," Akali said with deadset determination. "It was my greatest wish to finally surpass you. I will never forgive what you've done. I will never let you forget, either."

"You will never let go of the past, will you, Akali?" Zed said while brandishing his blades.

"I hate you," Akali said as she clenched her hands into fists. She really wanted to strangle the man, snap his neck, make him bleed. To do anything that would hurt him as much as he hurt her.

"Let that hatred sustain you, then," Zed said before coolly disappearing into the shadows. "It's the only way that you'll ever defeat me and surpass me as your mentor…"

Akali watched him go. There was some kind of tension between them that eventually ignited from the spark of attraction that Akali still felt for him. She hated to admit it, though she hated Zed for bringing up the past, for bringing up their previous relationship before things got complicated. He's probably playing mind games wit her, there's no way that a man like him could possibly still harbor feelings for her whatsoever. He opposed everything that she stood for, so she must stand firm against him. She will not waver. She will defeat him, as she promised.

Though self doubt plagued Akali as well. In comparison to Shen and Zed, who both have been slightly older than her and mentored her when she was a young girl, they were stronger. True, Akali could hold her own in matches and she was a strong and independent woman who was competent at her job and fighting, though her temper was one thing that often clouded her emotions and often led to hesitation, which led to defeat. Why was she hesitating now? She could easily chase after Zed in his realm of shadows. But she let him go.

 _I will never forgive him_ , Akali thought fiercely to himself. _Even if he pleaded and begged for his life, I wouldn't let him get away with what he did. What he did to Shen was…_

She wouldn't think about that. Zed was mocking her as always, and Akali felt she needed support from the one who stood steadfast and unyielding all this time; Shen. However, when she approached Shen, he clearly was in a mood, despite it not showing in his expression.

"What is it, Akali?" Shen said.

"Zed says that I can't hope to defeat him," Akali said. "But this time, I will surely defeat him."

"Thresh planned this," Shen said in disapproval, and Akali froze. "I don't approve, Akali. You're not ready to face him yet."

"Why does everyone insist on treating me like a child?" Akali said, her temper flaring. "Even you, Shen."

"True, you may be eighteen," Shen said. "But you need to learn the art of impatiecne. You're still very much impulsive, and it will lead you into doing something that you regret."

"I thought you supported me, Shen," Akali said, feeling a little stung. "But I see. I now know that you still view me as a little girl rather than a woman."

Akali disappeared into the shadows. Shen didn't even bother chasing after her. He could act incrredibly cold at times, trying to restrain his emotions. That, and Akali hated how he stayed so reasonable even when she got at her angriest, chiding her and telling her that she needed a cool head rather than the hot temper that often flared and sparked whenever she was provoked.

 _I'm going to fight him,_ Akali thought. _Even if everyone disapproves, I will do it anyway._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Akali seethed. She didn't like encountering Zed, nor did she approve of Shen still treating her like a child. She was old enough to make her own decisions, damn it! Just because Shen and Zed may be slightly older than her didn't mean that she didn't know anything! Akali tore out fistfuls of grass in frustration while she had been trying to meditate, to calm her angered the more she thought about it, the more she thought about Zed mocking her. She will surpass him in his own arts, as a mockery to her tribute to him as his star pupil, before killing him with glee. She wanted him to feel pain, she wanted to get him where it hurts most. But Zed seemed to go by his own whims and principals, and he didn't care at all about her or Shen, whom he once treated like his lover and the other whom he treated closer than his brother.

Kennen attempted to reassure her that everything was okay, and Akali smiled at the Yordle and gave him her thanks, though still… She had to defeat Zed, and she had serious doubts about whether or not she could do it. As much as Shen may protest against this, this was something that Akali had to do. She couldn't hesitate. She must not waver. She hated Zed with all her heart, and she will continue to do so. It's that hatred and seething anger that lingered underneath the surface that fueled her, that propelled her into action. As much as Shen would preach about temperance, Akali believed that taking action was more important than staying inside the cerebral realm of meditation.

She encountered Zed again when they were in the cafeteria mess hall. Akali tried to ignore him, though Zed continued to taunt her, as usual.

"You're sulking like the child Shen thinks you are," Zed said casually, and AKali, insulted, threw her fork towards his direction. Zed easily moved his head aside and the fork struck through the wall deadcenter, wavering for a moment from the force of mipact that it was thrown. She didn't make a scene afterward, though she ate her lunch in silence, away from Shen and Kennen, who would normally accompany her during her meal times, and then went straight to training after lunch.

She brandished her kamas with grace and skill. The forests of Ionia had plenty of large trees that she can practice her weaponry skills on, and she slashed through dozens of trees and watched with satisfaction as they tipped over and fell with deafening crashes onto the ground. She didn't care if the sacred land were benig desecrated or whatever; she needed to vent her action, and this was way more effective than meditation could be She needed to feel the blood pumping through her arteries and energy through her limbs.

She didn't care how childish she looked. She simply let her anger become steely determination, to become a single minded focus that sharpened like the point of a spear. A spear that she would hurl through Zed's chest if she could. Sometimes this led her to training more intensely before, an she felt that it was making her stronger, more fine focused, more driven for this mission.

 _I'm going to kill him,_ Akali thought fiercely to herself as she sliced more trees down with her kamas. _I will surpass him in his own arts. For what he did to Shen, I will never forgive._

Kennen stopped by, noting the ferocity in Akali's attacks and the strain that she was putting on herself.

"Akali!"

Akali stopped to pause momentarily, unaware of just how tired she was after exerting all her strength into slicing down the trees. Damn it, she couldn't move, and suddenly became aware of a strain that was biting into her biceps. At least, she hoped it was only a strain.

"Hello, Kennen," Akali said, before she fell down on her knees and collapsed. She heard Kennen calling for her, though consciousness swept away from her like a current and she was caught in the undertow of oblivion.

—x—

Akali woke up in the Infirmary. She found herself bound in bandages, wearing a sling around her arm and bandages wrapped around part of her chest and shoulders. Akali stared at them in wonder. She didn't believe that she trained that hard; did she seriously train to the point of breaking her own bones?

"Looks like you got injured while training," Kennen said sympathetically. "Akali, tell me what's bothering you. You're usually not this careless."

Akali looked away. "I was angry and I guess I overdid it."

She didn't elaborate on why she was angry, though Kennen probably understood. He knew not to press it any further, before saying, "Well, I'll come visit you and hope that you make a swift recovery. It's always reassuring to have you on the battlefield as an ally."

Akali nodded, before Kennen left. Next up to see her was Shen, whom she still wasn't happy with.

"Shen," Akali said evenly, and Shen shook his head in disapproval.

"Do you know how much of a psychic cost it's causing you to obsess over Zed?" Shen said, and Akali flared up at Shen again. She injured herself, and he didn't show any concern whatsoever for her? Though some part of Akali understood that Shen was right, and she hated him for for being right all the time.

"I can't sit around idly," Akali said. "I need to get…to the match. I have to have that match with Zed."

"Why do you insist on that match with Zed?" Shen said. "I will stop you if I must, Akali. I know that you will push yourself to the point of killing yourself."

Akali attempted to leave, though Shen grabbed her by the arm and forced her into the bed.

"I will call one of the Summoners to restrain you, Akali," Shen said. "You best not resist."

Akali glared at Shen but said nothing. She used a smoke shroud to escape from his grasp and headed out the hallway, though the Summoners were there, as promised. They inserted a syringe into Akali's neck to sedate her, and then she knew no more.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When Akali awoke to consciousness, she realized that the Summoners were preparing for the upcoming match. She overslept! If she wasted any more minutes, then her opportunity Zed would slip by her fingers. She needed to fight that match against him in order to show him that she was no child, that she wasn't a weak little girl, and that she wasn't a waste of talent. She would show him.

Akali braced herself by the bedside, supporting her body with wobbly legs as though she were a newborn fawn. They must've drugged her or something, to put her under control and to help ease the pain. Though Akali didn't have to worry about that for now. She vanished out of the room, despite the protests of a nurse telling her to stay put where she was. But Akali didn't listen. She needed to interrupt the Summoners from proceeding with the match, though this was a particular day that was the most crowded and had a lot of spectators coming to the area to watch the Champions. What could she possibly do?

Akali felt a hand upon her shoulder. Shen looked back at her with solemn yellow eyes.

"Shouldn't you be in bed resting?" Shen asked.

"I suppose…but the match," Akali said, her temper evened down from nervousness and anxiety about the upcoming match. "I need to stop it."

"You're in no state to be fighting against Zed," Shen chided. "I thought I told you that. Come on Akali. There are other opportunities. Besides, I did not ask you fight in my stead against him."

Akali flushed. "I'm doing this for you. After what he did…"

Shen's eyes softened. "I didn't want it to be at the expense of you, though. You will need to recover and regather your strength."

Akali protested, yet Shen guided her back into the Infirmary where the other Summoners were fussing over her asthough she were a fragile, delicate thing that couldn't handle something as simple as an injury. Some Champions could keep on fighting when they died, even, like Sion, for example.

"I will keep you company if you wish," Shen said, before Akali intertwined her fingers with his own.

"Shen, I wanted to talk to you."

Shen looked down at her curiously.

"I wanted to apologize," Akali murmured as she flushed slightly and turned away from him. "For acting…childish. My temper got the bet of me. But please understand, this match is important to me. I know what you had in stake against Zed, and I would gladly lend you my aid as the Pruning of the Tree to punish him and—"

"I'm not seeking his punishment or revenge, Akali," Shen said, before his eyes softened once more. "What I care about and prioritize more is you."

Akali squeezed Shen's hand tighter against her own. She really appreciated the thought of him, and suddenly her anger adn reservations about him melted away. Shen sometimes did stuff like this, showing certain thoughtfulness and coolheadedness, keeping his calm and figuring out the best solution. That's probably the reason why he was known as teh Eye of Twilight, after all.

"Thank you, Shen," Akali said softly, smiling towards him, her head tilted up to look into his eyes.

"If you really insist on fighting aganist Zed," Shen said in contemplation. "I made arrangements with a certain Summoner to have you fight Zed against midlane rther than Syndra. However, I will also be accompanying you in the match, so I'll be sure to lend my aid if something goes on."

"You're really the best, Shen," Akali said with a soft smile, before she turned away and flushed prettily. She was starting to get tongue-tied from all the nice things that Shen is doing for her, and she wanted t oexpress how much he meant to her. Even though he was concerned about his injuries, he knew tht Akali would find a way to get into the match itself, so he found some countermeasures against that which would let her in the match but also allow Shen to freely monitor her while he was farming at top lane.

"That sounds like a compromise," Akali said with a smile. "I'll recover a little, then. I promise that I won't over exert myself."

"Be prepared," Shen said, before he planted a loving kiss on her lips, before untwining his hand from hers. "Must go. But I'm counting on you, Akali."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Zed encountered Akali in the Infirmary once more. Instinctively reacting, Akali then reached for a nearby syringe that a nurse left behind, before pointing it threateningly at Zed. "What do you want?'

"I thought it would be in your best interest to forfeit the match," Zed said, stripped of his armor and mask. However, he still held the grace and poise of a predator, with rippling power underneath his powerful muscles in his sleek build. He trained just as hard and devotedly as Shen everyday, muscles sculpting his form like a marble statue of Adonis or some other Grecian hero. His red eyes glinted dangerously towards her, and Akali felt as though she were being stalked and vulnerable.

"Why would I do that?" Akali said, defiance in her gaze now. "I'm not scared of dying."

"That kind of foolishness is going to lead to your ultimate humiliation," Zed said patiently, as though he were lecturing a child. "A shinobi learns to survive no matter what. They don't head recklessly into battle hoping to die, do they? That's what warriors and martyrs do."

"I am a shinobi of my word," Akali said solemnly. I will fight you mid lane. And I'm going to surpass you."

"As you are right now, you are still weak," Zed breathed. "If you continued your training with me instead of siding with Shen, you would've reached your full potential. It's unfortunate, but they've softened you."

"I was young and naive back then," Akali whispered, before Zed took an apple from the bowl of fruit someone gave her for swift recovery. Akali then cleaved the apple right in half before Zed could eat it, and Zed smirked at that as he let the apple drop to the flour, it's halves rolling on the floor.

"You do have a bloodthirsty side," Zed said, as though he marveled in Akali's wish to cleave him in half like she did with the apple. "You will have eventually become the perfect ninja once you defeat me. That was my only wish for you, Akali."

"You never had my best interests at heart," Akali said, narrowing her eyes towards Zed while he stepped closer, as they were almost kissing distance away. "You only care about yourself. Why else did you kill Shen's father?"

Zed remained silent for a while, before he shook his head slowly. "Still aching for the past, Akali? If you don't move on from that, then you'll never hope to defeat me. Take a step forward into the future, instead of wallowing in misery in things that can't be changed."

Akali glared at Zed. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"I suppose so," Zed said before he leaned away from Akali and gave that damn irritable smirk in her direction. "If you step foot on the Fields today…I will destroy everything about you."

With that, Zed departed. Akali let out a sigh, realizing that the tension in the room had risen like a blood pressure. Just somehow, Zed managed to elicit certain emotions in her; a desire for revenge, and something else that she dare not admit. She couldn't possibly think about that right. If she did, then everything that the Kinkou had worked so hard to attain could literally fall to pieces. She didn't want that to happen. She had to remain strong.

"I'm not going to let him get to me," Akali said to the empty room, though something in her heart broke when Zed mentioned the past.

—x—

Shen saw her before the match. Akali felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the anticipation of facing Zed. She would pay him back for everything that he said. Though some part of her also felt a little doubt inthe back of her head. What if Zed really did have her best interests at heart? Were the Kinkou ninjas as noble and honorable as they said they are? They once treated Zed like their own, while he was in the fold, and Akali fell in love with him back then. He promised her that she had talent, that she had the potential to overtake Shen and even himself, and Akali would watch Zed and Shen spar together on the training grounds, closer than brothers. Why did that all have to change?

Akali sighed. What is done is done, she supposed. She had nothing to do with it now. Now she must face her own mentor on the battlegrounds, and win. She was determined to win. If she didn't, then everything would be lost.

"I'll keep an eye on you in midlane," Shen said as he patted Akali reassuringly, realizing that she was feeling a little distant today. "I trust that everything is well?"

"Oh, everything is fine," Akali said, trying not to worry Shen. She smoothed the furrow out of her brow and smiled at Shen, to which he gave her a slight smile back in return. He then put on his mask, full shinobi garb equipped onto his body including his twin blades. Akali adjusted her mask as well,

The gathering crowd anticipated this match. Summoners watched from a safe distance in the Institute through a magiacl orb that showed the Summoners in the Rift. Akali was at base with Shen, exchanging a frew whispered words, before she departed for midlane. She hid in the shadows, peering over the ledge to see if her opponent was beyond it. Zed managed to keep himself well hidden, of course. He was the master of Shadows, after all.

Akali waited by her tower until the minions started spawning. Once the minions spawned, she went towards the center of the lane where the opposing minions would crash in the middle, fighting their own wars. Akali gathered some gold by throwing her kama, keeping a safe distance from Zed while Zed farmed with his shurikens. He said nothing, but he was watching her intently and suddenly Akali felt naked and exposed underneath his gaze.

 _He' s trying to pressure me_ , Akali thought. _I won't cave in. All I have to do is just get some farm, and then wait for the right opportunity to pick him off. That's my job as an Assassin._

When Zed landed a Shuriken on a minion he was trying to farm, Akali threw her kama at him to harass him. Zed's eyes narrowed at her through the slits in his mask, though he didn't do anything about it and continued to keep farming. Somehow, his calm silence and his determination to just farm the minions was bothering her. Was he really planning on killing her? He didn't even bother to harass her in lane while she took farm and harassed him accordingly. What was up with that?

"Zed," Akali said as she started to feel her temper flare. "You're insulting me by not giving it your all."

"Why should I do that on a second-rate ninja?" Zed asked, and Akali tried to keep her cool, though her arm trembled with anger adn she missed a minion with her kama, her aim off kilter.

"You will regret those words," Akali said, before she reached level 6 and started to all in him. He was starting to feel the pressure now as she dashed towards him and he retreated towards his tower for safety. This time he blew all his cooldowns just to give Akali some return damage nd to also use his shadow to escape a step ahead of her. When he was safety at tower, he then waited until the cannon minion reached his turret, killed it under the safety of his tower, and then backed.

That should keep him in line. Akali continued to farm, growing a cs lead, at least, though alarms went off in Akali's head when Zed coordinated with the jungler to gank botlane. Akali reached as fast as she could down there, and Shen even used his ultimate to protect Varus alongside Thresh, though Zed mercilessly slaughtered the man along with Jarvan. Thresh was low health, and their eyes met when Akali saw Varus's dead body on the ground.

"Curious when one dies," Thresh said in response, sight regret in his voice or not saving his partner. "Akali, you ganked too late."

"I know," Akali said, feeling awful about her misplay.

However, Zed, fedo ff the one kill he got on Varus, proceeded to go ham and target Akali. It seemed like his laser focus was on Akali and only Akali, and Akali didn't have her dashes or even her shroud touse to defend herself. Shen and Thresh also had their cooldowns blown from trying to save Varus, and when Akali tried to reach the safety of the tturret, Zed mockingly cut off her hair before he decided to land the final blow to kill her.

Everything went black.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Akali re-emerged back on the battlefield again, determined to spill some of Zed's blood. He was trying to catch her off guard, which he did with that bottom lane gank with the jungler, and now Akali was set behind because Zed got a kill and she was late roaming to botlane. TI was her fault, she knew, and she felt the disappointment within her peak. She really was weak, wasn't she? She shouldn't have focused on farming and should've paid attention to the spatial awareness around her. If she caught a glimpse of Zed somewhere on the map, perhaps she would've caught him mistepping on a ward or something if she placed on down. But Akali was so determined to get a kill that she forgot about the important thing about the game—vision.

"Akali, I'm here for you," Shen said simply, and Akali felt her heart flutter at that when he mentioned those words. It gave her renewed strength and hope, and Akali convinced herself that she would overcome this and make her team proud, but most especially Shen proud. She wanted to show him that all her training hadn't been for naught, that she improved drastically, that she can surpass the mentor that she called a lover as well.

It was a miserable match, though. Zed ended up bullying and killing Akali after getting fed off of kills, and made smart plays to outfox her despite the fact that she was initially ahead. Akali knew the basics of teh game, of course, and she found herself as a competent fighter who could get kills and objectives with ease, usually, though Zed made the game harder. He knew macroplay as well as microplay, and he weaved his knowledge beautifully into one devastating dagger like point to focus on her and kill her off so that he would snowball off her and Varus instead.

No matter what they did, they couldn't protect Varus, and the opposing ADC, Caitlyn, would siege down turrets. They let Dragon go a couple of times because they simply couldn't contest against it. But eal clincher was, after the enemy team got all the out turrets, they then proceeded to get Baron. Their Jungler, Vi, tried her hardest to Smite Baron away from them, but ended up dying uselessly as a result.

Thresh went to whisper in Akali's ear something cryptic, and the words rang in her head as they got Baron and watched helplessly as the enemy team sieged down mid and got to the Nexus.

"Ever wonder what happens after you die on the Rift, Akali?"

Akali said nothing, though she felt a strong shiver worm its way down her back while Zed and the others declared victory.

—x—

"We lost," Akali said dully while Shen headed out with her. "It's my fault."

"Don't blame yourself, Akali," Shen said while putting a reassuring hand on her back. "That was a tough game. Zed knows how to play from behind and take crushing advantages. I imagnie that he was behiind all the shotcalling and why their team was so well coordinated. I'msorry that I couldn't save you that one time, Akali. That was an error on my part."

"No," Akali said with a sigh. "You ddi right trying to save the ADC. We needed Varus to push down turrets, but they just go head of us. I feel my blood tingling because of all that."

"We all have bad games," Shen said sagely. "Everyone goes on winning streaks and losing streaks, depending on their Summoner and the conditions of the match beforehand. There are many builds that you have to consier, along with map awareness, warding, trading, harassing, farming, and a bunch of other macro and micro elements. It's not easy to play the game that the Summoners set up. It takes a lot of time and dedication to learn all there is to know about it."

"I still can't help but feel bad," Akali whispered to Shen, clenching her hands into her fists. SHe wanted to prove to Shen that she could progress further in her training, that she was ready for greater resopnsibilities, but she couldn't even keep her promises. She couldn't kill Zed, and she cost the team the game. That was her fault.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Akali," Shen said to her. "Though what did Thresh to say to you?"

Akali was still spooked by what Thresh said, and Shen could easily see it on her face, despite the mask covering part of her face.

"He told me…If I ever wondered what it was like dying on the Rift?"

Shen paused, before he furrowed his brow in thought as well. "It's something that the Champions never really questioned. Though this could be forbidden knowledge that will only lead to despair or disillusionment. What will you do with that knowledge, Akali?"

Akali shrugged, staring down at the floor. "I don't know."

"Well," Shen said, before he parted away from her a moment. "Go to the Infirmary to check if anything is still broken or whatnot. I will be seeing you."

Akali watched Shen depart, feeling love swell her heart with fierce pride, before the smile disappeared from her face. There was something that she needed to find out, and she knew what she must do.

 _I must go to Thresh._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Once more, Akali went to the Shadow Isles. She went in a cloud shroud from any passing people who might be hostile towards her, before she realized that Thresh was waiting for her, as usual, in the same spot as always. Akali emerged from her smoke shroud, and she bowed towards Thresh.

"I apologize for the match, yesterday," Akali said while bowing her head. "It was my fault."

Thresh pondered for a moment, before saying, "You didn't come here to tell me that, I'm sure."

Akali nodded, before she took a deep breath and said.

"Does dying on the Rift…have something to do with my mother?"

Thresh paused for a moment, before he said. "I have some suspicions, but I don't know everything on my own. That's where I'll need your help to do something. I realized that the Summoners keep a key to a vault where they keep something extremely private and locked away. Only someone with the key can get into the vaults that the Summoners enter through. I want you to use your feminine charms to seduce a young Summoner and take the key from him while exploring that vault."

"That sounds like a tall order," Akali said, though her eyes narrowed when Thresh mentioned a secret room that the Summoners had. No champion had gone in there before, and those who attempted to try were severely punished. Just what could be in that room? Her curiosity got the better of her. "All right, I'll do it."

"Good," Thresh said, before he said. "Make sure that the others don't know. One of the Summoners suspects me for trying to get into the vault, so this is where you come in. Also, it's best if you don't tell anyone else about this venture; the fewer that know about it and attempt it, the less likely the Summoners will get suspicious of us."

Akali listened for a bit, before she stared off into the distance.

"What do you know of my mother?"

"I knew that she looked exactly like you," Thresh said. It's a little suspicious, isn't it? That a mother and daughter have that close of a resemblance to one another."

"I guess it's not so strange, at times," Akali said, furrowing her brow a little again. "It's just our genes."

"And you mother died under mysterious circumstances," Thresh said. "Usually, Champions don't die, do they? That's another thing that's strange."

"That is also true," Akali said. "Though Shen told me that this forbidden knowledge could lead to something that ends up in disappointment or disillusionment. He asks me what I'm going to do with that knowledge."

"Ah, Shen," Thresh said. "He suspects something, but he's an obedient dog to the Summoners. No, I needed someone with a little…rebellious streak in them."

"You could've simply picked someone else," Akali said, wondering why Thresh chose her of all people.

"Your skills as a shinobi will come in handy here," Thresh said. "And I have confidence in your skills."

"I'm glad that you have confidence in me," Akali said. "But the Summoners also have abilities that we don't know of. They're very powerful yes, but if they're able to contain gods like Xerath or you...what does that say about the rest of us?"

"I can't say for sure," Thresh said. "But this is something that we'll discover together. I know that you seek answers, and you've been restless and unsatisfied after the Summoners told you that your mother was executed for not obeying their will. I'm not sure how all this connects together, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that I need to have confirmed...all of this ties into how Champions die on the Rift but come back as though brand new, why your mother looks so much like you, and everything else. I'm puzzling things together, but they're not quite fitting yet."

"I need to reflect on this as well," Akali said thoughtfully, before she appeared solemn. "But this means not telling Shen anything? I hate keeping secrets from him; surely you must know that."

"If this is to work, then you will not tell him," Thresh warned. "I suppose that I will be seeing you off then. However, there is one more thing that I need to tell you,"

Akali paused, listening. She wondered what else Thresh had to say. He left her ponering things that mde her herd hurt with exertion, and Akali usually could grasp things easily. But she wasn't sure how this all made sense. Dying on the Rift had something to do with her mother, didn't it? And it all had to do with dying in general; what answers did she seek, and what would she do with that knowledge when she found out?

Could Shen know something that she didn't? Was he keeping secrets from her as well? She didn't think that Shen would do that, but then s the Eye of Twilight, Shen was a being of enlightenment and must keep impartial in all matters. But love was the greatest force in the world, or so she thought, and not even a man as stoic as Shen could resist its temptation when he found someone that he believed in and someone who believed in him. Akali shook the thoughts aside.

Perhaps he didn't know anything after all. But then Akali knew that Thresh told her not to tell Shen anything. As much as it hurt her to keep secrets from Shen, Akali's curiosity got the best of her. She needed to find this out, and even if it cost her soul to do it, she would do it. She needed these answers, no matter what.

"I'll keep it a secret," Akali promised. "But Thresh...be careful."

"I should be expressing that sentiment to you," Thresh said. "I would do it yourself, but as you can see, I'm a spectral being that no human being would find attractive. Therefore, you need to seduce a Summoner named Kai."

"Kai..." Akali said, wondering for a moment. "I know about him. He's the green Summoner, right?"

"Just got inserted among the Summoner's Ranks after studying in an Academy far away from here," Thresh said. "That's the one who will be easy to coax, I think. You only have once chance."

Akali looked down. "Even though I lost the match...you still have faith in me, Thresh?"

"That doesn't matter now," Thresh said, before saying. "This is more important."

"I will do my best," Akali said. "I solemnly swear."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Thresh told Akali Kai's location, and Akali decided to put her skills to the test. The boy was about her age, the impressionable age of eighteen or so, though Akali told herself that this was for a mission. She also felt guilt for seducing another man that was not Shen, but Thresh said if she wanted to find the answers, then she must do it. If she were to find the answer though; what would she do with it? What would she do when she got into romantic entanglement with a Summoner? So many complicated things happening at once.

Akali did the classic letter to meet her in the League Institute rooftops. Akali waited, wondering if she had been stood up, before Kai arrived ten minutes later, stumbling on his robes.

"Ah, I got your letter!" Kai said while waving the pink stationary. "What did you want to meet me here for, Miss Akali?"

"I just wanted to get to know you better," Akali said, dropping her mask and smiling her best smile that could disarm an army. "Please, Kai, tell me more about yourself."

"Me? Gosh, Miss Akali, I always thought that you were so beautiful; I didn't think that you would see something in me."

"You're an intelligent young man," Akali said while chuckling a little, hating every second of this moment. "You can figure out what makes you so special to me."

"Any hints?" Kai said with an eager light in his eyes, and Akali put a finger to her lip to consider it.

"Well….you're work hard, as you've come from a prestigious Academy," Akali said. "I'm in training myself. Or was."

"Training to be a ninja!" Kai said with wide eyes, looking even more excited by the moment. "That is so cool!

"I think that Summoners are exceptional people," Akali said with a twinkle in her eye. "No wonder why they chose you."

Kai flushed, obviously flustered at all the compliments and being praised so much. This was a boy that was starved for praise of any kind, and Akali would play on that to win his good graces. She also hated the fact that she was using Kai, especially since he seemed to be an innocent boy. Yet there were questions that were answered, and she needed to find out about them. It was up to her, this was dependent on everything, and maybe she could do something to change teh way around the League institute. The Summoners phrased the honor of being a Champion as a good thing—fight in battles, earn gold, gain fame and popularity and living a comfortable life. That was everything that Akali could ask for, right?

"Thank you very much, Miss Akali," Kai said with shining eyes. "So…we're going on a date together? Do you want to share an ice cream sudnae with one another?"

Akali linked arms with Kai and said. "Certainly. Lead the way, Summoner."

"Say," Kai said. "There's a big Summoner/Champion party going on soon. Would you like to join in as one of the serving girls to entertain the Summoners?"

"That sounds delightful," Akali said, smiling all the while.

 _This will be like stealing candy from a baby,_ Akali thought to herself while she continued to get in the Summoner's good graces.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

After entertaining Summoners at a grand party, Akali was stuffed with good food and good cheer, her spirits lifting from the depressive mood of the previous match with Zed. On top of it all, she was successful in this mission and retrieved a key from one of the Summoners, one of which she was sure that led to the vault that Thresh was talking about. Excited with her find, Akali found her elation was to be short lived as Shen confronted her.

"Akali," Shen said sternly.

"Shen…I can explain everything."

"All I know Is that you took something that doesn't belong to you," Shen chided. "And you also exploited an innocent Summoner to do it."

Akali was appreciative that Shen knew that Akali wouldn't truly cheat on Shen, though his calmness and even tempered demeanor now irritated her. He was worried more about the key rather than the possibility of Akali cheating on him.

"I need this, Shen," Akali said as she held the key protectively close to her.

"I suppose that Thresh is responsible for your corruption," Shen said, thinking it over. "You can't be entirely to blame. But still, return the key at once."

"I can't do that, Shen," Akali said sadly, and Shen shook his head.

"You'll regret it, Akali."

"I guess I'll just have to live with that then, once I do this. I need these answers Shen. Haven't you ever wondered why my mother and I looked so alike? What happens when we die on Summoner's Rift? Or even why the champions don't seem to age. It should be natural that we age and grow up some, don't we? There's something going on, and I need to figure it out."

"Akali," Shen said." Give the key back and apologize. The Summoners will forgive you."

"No, I can't do that. I must do this."

"Then I'm very disappointed in you," Shen said while shaking his head. "You're betraying the path that I set before you as your mentor."

"I'm sorry, Shen," Akali whispered when Shen disappeared. She looked at the key in her hand and let out a sigh. This tiny key was a predicament that caused all this. No, most likely it was caused by her meeting Thresh and asking him to see her mother. Speaking of which, he hadn't allowed her to see her mother yet. Wasn't she a part of his lantern, or was that another lie that the madman conceived to deceive her? Just thinking about being lied to and led on infuriated Akali, and she wondered if she should trust Thresh at all. But the things that he said seemed so convincing, and he said that all the answers lie behind the key that led to the hidden vault.

Akali waited till the coming night, and then slipped in the shadows, prepared to find her answers.

—x—

She entered into the vault are alone, preparing herself for what was to come. It had been guarded, though Akali slipped through their sight and took out their guards with ease. She was experienced in infiltration and stealth as a shinobi, and her training did pay off after all. When she took the key to the innermost vault, her hand trembled. What was she hesitating for? Wouldn't this help alleviate all the questions and heartache that she had before? Then why was she hesitating? Why?

Akali took a few calming breaths, before she felt another presence watching her. IT couldn't be anyone else except one person, who was just as expert at stealth and camouflage as she. Zed.

"Zed, what are you doing here?" Akali called out into the darkness, and Zed materialized in front of her from the darkness, glaring at her.

"I'm going to be needing that key," Zed said, before Akali held it protectively towards her.

"You're not taking this key away from me,"

"I will take it from you by force if I have to," Zed said, brandishing his blades, while dressed entirely in his ninja gear, armor and all.

"If you're not going to stand down," Akali said. "Then I will fight you, tooth and nail."

"You're going to lose," Zed murmured, before another person emerged from the shadows.

"I don't believe so. She has me now by her side,"

Zed turned to look, and saw that Thresh appeared out of the darkness after following Akali through the darkened corridors and hallways.

Zed's eyes narrowed towards Thresh. 'You."

Thresh chuckled. "Ah Zed, you're another wild card factor that I haven't considered in my calculations. But no matter. As long as I'm with Akali, then we could both take you down."

Zed glared at Akali, then at Thresh, before conceding his defeat. He slunk back into the shadows, though Akali felt as though she were still being watched.

"Well then," Thresh said. "Shall we look to see what's inside the vaults?"

Akali's heart thumped in her chest, though every cell in her body was screaming that she should resist the temptation, that Thresh was lying to her and that he was leading her on to something suicidal. And yet…Akali couldn't just ignore the implications that Thresh told her about either. She needed to find the answers, whether or not it led to her downfall or not. Whether it disillusioned her or not, or whether or not it would kill her. She needed to know the Summoner's secrets.

"Let's go,Thresh."

Thresh nodded and led the way to the deeper corridors, his lantern glowing eerily in the darkness.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

When Thresh led her down the corridors, Akali felt a sense of foreboding within her heart. Her heart beat wildly in her chest in jackrabbit leaps, and she could sense some tension from Thresh as well. He seemed a little on edge, as though one of the Summoners could appear at any moment.

"Thresh…have you been lying to me this entire time?" Akali said in a murmur.

"The truth will be revealed if you open this door," Thresh said while gesturing to the key in her hand. "Everything that you worked hard for…it would be a waste to throw away your hard work because you didn't trust me."

Akali still remained slightly skeptical. "I mean, I don't completely trust you, but I went along with this because my curiosity was even greater. Just what am I going to see beyond this door, Thresh?"

"I don't know," Thresh said honestly. "But I can tell you—it's not going to be pretty."

"We've come this far," Akali murmured, before she slipped the key into the hidden vault. The two sturdy doors swung open. Upon first glance, there was nothing suspicious in the room. Akali's heart sank. Did they do all this hard work for nothing? However, Akali didn't want to stop there. She would not be defeated here. She wandered throughout the room, before she paused before a door. Her heart leapt again. Could it be?

When Akali opened the door, her breath caught in her throat. Her first instinct was a scream, though she quickly suppressed it and swallowed it down. Inside that door was a laboratory that had various rejuvenation tanks that held the sleeping forms of clones. Akali saw herself reflected back to her in one of the rejuvenation tanks, and then quickly turned away. It was so surreal seeing another her.

Thresh wandered further into the laboratory, which opened up into yet another room.

"Akali, I think you better come look," Thresh said.

Akali hurried over to Thresh, and what she saw made her want to vomit. A morgue room with dozens of piled dead bodies lying underneath white sheets stood before her. Akali was brave enough to lift one sheet to uncover the face of Varus, who had 'died' on the Rift in the previous match. There were tons of other bodies like these, upon further investigation, of various different champions in different arrangements of death. Some were burned, some were mauled; it made the knees week and the spine shiver.

"This is fucked up," Akali said bluntly. She then thought about Shen's words, and wondered if this was what he was talking about when he said that she sought dangerous knowledge. What was she going to do with it now?" "We have to tell the others."

"The Summoners will do something about it before we can do anything, I assume," Thresh said. "We need to think of an exit plan."

"Obviously," Akali said, suddenly feeling a well of anger spring within her. "But how could the Summoners do this to us? What does this all mean? What kind of fucked up sick, twisted, notion did these Summoners have? Do they seriously see us as nothing more than…play things?"

Thresh remained silent for a moment ,before he pointed a single gauntleted finger towards a back room. "Let's investigate all that we can. We may not get this rare opportunity once again."

"Or it may cost us our lives," Akali whispered, before a new determination steeled her over. "We've got to warn someone. Anyone."

"We have to get out of here, first," Thresh said, before he frowned a little, as though in deep thought.

Akali wondered what the skeletal being was thinking.

"Thresh? I'm getting the shivers just standing in the morgue. Looking at all these dead bodies is just disturbing. I mean, I'm not one to coil at a dead body, but…this is beyond strange and the Summoners are crazy."

Thresh paused in his thinking, before saying carefully, "The Summoners could find us. It's best that we leave immediately."

Akali wondered if Thresh was also afraid but he didn't care to admit it. Even though he was the embodiment of death itself, it seemed that even the Reaper of Death had fears too. Though Akali also knew that there were some things that were worse than death, and she was facing all the truths and lies that she had to confront about the League and everything it stood for. So it seemed that they died after all…but somehow their conscoiusness was transferred to another body, in one of the clones, before their memories of their death were wiped clean from their state of shock. That's what Akali guessed. Thresh was smart enough to figure it out as well.

But what was most important was that they needed to move. They had to get out of here, lest the Summoners spot them and then do unspeakable things to them that went far beyond torture or death. They knew what the Summoners were capable of.

Akali dashed down the hallways, though she could hear the sound of voices down the corridors. No alarms have been tripped yet, but she thought she heard the voice of Kai somewhere in the distance.

"The Champions mustn't know about this room," an Elder Summoner said to the young Kai. "We've been working so long and hard on this project for it to be disrupted by a few rebellious champions that may defy their fate."

"It seems kind of cruel though, doesn't it?" Kai said, swallowing in unease. "I feel bad for them."

"Oh, Kai, they're a mere hollow of their former selves," the Summoner said. "They're merely tools for the entertainment of the privilaged. We perform grand spectacles as entertainment, of course, but there is a deeper reason behind all this. The tournaments and fights are merely a cover up for things much deeper going on. It is all according to Master Thanatos's plan.

Akali and Thresh stood at the edge of the corridor with bated breath, listening. Waiting. Frozen.

"Master Thanatos wanted me to check something real quick," Kai said, before he snuck off towards the very place that Thresh and Akali were hiding.

"You two!" Kai said, before looking around frantically. "You shouldn't be here."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Kai," Akali said, feeling hesitant around him and frozen in place. She just seduced this Summoner for the key that led into the vaults, and she imagined it would come at a great personal cost to him as well. However, she calculated whether or not Kai could be an ally or not in this scenario. He was a Summoner after all, he was aligned with the very people who kept peoples' corpses from previous matches and made clones for newer bodies.

"I thought you were up to something, Thresh," Kai said, looking to Thresh and then Akali. "But I swear that I haven't been in on this at all."

"Do you think that we can trust you, a Summoner?" Akali said in a chilling voice. "Do you think that we're that naive that you didn't know anything at all about this? Explain yourself, or I might just kill you."

Kai held his hands for mercy. "I'll tell you everything that I know, just…don't kill me, please. Akali, I'm genuinely worried about you. Even if our date wasn't real, it still made me really happy! But in all seriousness, what're you going to do about the exit plan. They just recently discovered something suspicious about the entire thing, and I'm under a lot of pressure right now. So please…escape while you can, and then don't tell anybody else about this. They could…"

Kai bit his lip.

Akali pressed him on. "What could possibly be worse than the stuff that they're doing right now?"

"There is no more time," Kai said. "You've got to escape…quickly, quickly now! I think that some Summoners are heading to this area right now! I'll try to stall them as best as I can."

"Why are you helping us?" Akali said.

"Because…I feel that's the just thing to do," Kai said, before he ushered Thresh and Akali out of the room. "Now hide!"

Akali and Thresh went to their respective hiding places somewhere outside the room, though Akali could feel her heart thump inside her throat when she heard footsteps. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all. She found out the truth, but for what? It's not like she'll probably be able to tell the other champions about It, and if she did, would they believe her? Even if they did believe her, then would they really be able to stand a chance against the Summoners who had powers beyond their imagining?

She could hear a group of Summoners approach Kai.

"It's been reported that some Champion broke into the vault," one of the Summoners said.

"I haven't been able to find them, unfortunately," Kai said.

"Well keep searching," the other Summoner said. "We'll find them eventually…they can't have gone very far."

AKali blended in with the shadows and swiftly made her way through the darkened corridor unseen. He heart continued to pump furiously, and Akali willed her heartbeat to slow down or she felt she might throw up. Poor Kai was put under pressure now, and he was risking everything to help them, even though Akali used him to be able to get the key into the vaults in the first place. She would genuinely thank him later; if any of them came back alive out of this.

"Do you know which Champions are the ones who broke into the vault," the Summoner asked Kai, and Kai shook his head furiously.

"I don't know, Sir," Kai said, though his voice trembled a little. "I would tell you if I knew."

The other Summoners spread throughout the morgue and clone room. Akali moved through the shadows to get a better investigation. This was foolhardy, she knew, but she couldn't leave Thresh behind. A Summoner was approaching Thresh's hiding place.

Akali's heart leapt into her throat. Thresh would be caught! She couldn't let this happen! He wasn't as good at stealth as she was, and Akali knew she had to go back and help him. Slipping through the shadows with the utmost ease, Akali then threw a smokebomb to obscure the area. The Summoner that approached Thresh coughed, and Thresh slipped through the smoke and followed Akali out.

"They're here!" The summoner choked out through the shroud.

"So," the Summoner said to Kai, who's eyes widened in fear."Were you covering for them, I wonder, Kai?"

"No Sir," Kai said, trying to keep a poker face, though his green eyes glinted with fear.

Akali almost cursed. She knew that it was a way to save Thresh, to allow him to escape vision, but it was at the expense of Kai. She would do something about that, at least. "No, it was all my doing," Akali said as she ushered Thresh far away and let him escape on his own.

The Summoner looked towards Akali's direction, before his eyes widened in recognition. "Ah, Akali. IT was you after all, wasn't it?"

"Kai has no responsibility for this," Akali said, her heart thumping in her throat.

The Summoners eye glinted. "Was there anyone else with you?"

"It was just me," Akali said. "Remember, a ninja works alone."

"That is true," the SUmmoner said, before he frowned. "Bring her to Master Thanatos. We will see what we shall do with her."

The other Summoners rounded around Akali and restrained he so that she wouldn't be able to escape. They took Kai along as well, and Akali wondered if she did help any at all. Kai didn't make eye contact with her the entire time, and Akali made sure that she didn't gaze directly at them either, unless if their cover would be blown.

When Master Thanatos arrived, Akali's heart leapt into her throat. Here was the head Summoner, a Summoner with unimaginable power. She was in his presence, and she didn't know what he would do to her. Akali put on a brave face and stared directly at him, glaring at him. Thanatos merely smiled at her gesture of strong will, before saying, "Welcome to the game, Akali. You've just entered the deeper levels of the dungeon. Now…how shall we proceed?"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 16

"What the hell are you talking about," Akali said as her heart thumped faster.

Thanatos looked at her mockingly, tossing some of his long silken black hair behind him while his red eyes bore into Akali. His gaze alone would've been enough to cower even the mightiest of Champions, and Akali suddenly felt as though she were little girl again. Or were those false memories that were projected into her mind?

"There is another Champion with you," Thanatos said with amusement, as Thresh was suddenly revealed and restrained by other Summoenrs, coming forth to Thanatos's presence. "I told Thresh that he was overstepping his boundaries. Though who would've though he would eventually engineer a plan to finally discover the truth? Well played, Thresh. You just got further into the deeper level of the game, though you're not quite ready to face the Final Boss yet."

Thanatos chuckled to himself, and Akali guessed that this man was deranged and unhinged if he thought that everything was just a game to him.

"As for you, Kai," Thanatos said in a silken tone, to which Kai visibly shivered. "You helped them. I know this…but I've gotten everything under control. In fact, I engineered things like this to happen. I planted ideas into Thresh's head and made him believe that it was his own idea. That's how I programmed him to do."

Thresh said nothing, though Akali imagined if Thresh had a visage that could show expressions, it would be pure hatred towards Thanatos.

"We're our own individuals," AKali said. "We're not some…plaything that you program or mess around with. We're not a video game character."

"Do you know how a Champion becomes a Champion in the first place?" Thanatos said while looking at his nails, as though he weren't interested in what Akali had to say. "It's all part of my grand plan. This is the part where things get really interesting, and you guys accessed a deeper level of the game. Congratulations. You discovered an easter egg, or something very special. Though I would also have to say that you, Akali , are a glitch in the game. But glitches make things more fascinating, don't they"

"What the hell are you talking about," Akali muttered, to which Thanatos laughed

"Your mother was actually a former clone of you, Akali," Thanato said with amusement, narrowing his eyes as though he reveled to see the shocked look on Akali's face. "One of your former personalities, I mean. We decided to execute her and reprogram her into a newer, more updated version of a Champion. Though you have always been special to us, Akali. You were a glitch, all right, showed more rebellious spirit than the other champions, but we adored you anyway because you were unique. You're also one of the older programs in the system, though it took serious modifications to make you into what you are now."

"So…my mother never even existed?" Akali said, before she narrowed her eyes towards Thanatos. "She was merely a persona that you adapted onto me?"

"That you are correct," Thanatos said, and Akali wondered if Shen knew any of this stuff at all. Maybe he guessed it, but didn't want to truly acknowledge it. Because he knew that fighting against the Summoners was a fruitless battle.

"Well, what am I to do with you two, then?" Thanatos said, before his gaze directed towards Kai. "Kai needs to be appropriately punished for his deeds. He was disposable, as always. That is your reward for breaking into the vaults."

"He had nothing to do with with this!" Akali said in desperation, and Kai seemed to be resigned towards his fate.

"It's all right, Akali," Kai said with a small smile towards her. "They say that death is the next great adventure, after all."

"Kai, no!" Akali said, and the Summoners executed Kai on the spot. AKali trembled, not with fear or sadness, but pure anger. She escaped the Simmoners grip and lunged herself towards Thanatos, though Thanatos stopped her with a telekinetic force that 'repelled' her back from him. Akali landed on her backside with a thump, and she glared at Thanatos the entire time while he laughed mockingly at her.

"Oh, this is too rich!" Thanatos said, before he said. "I could always kill you and reprogram you again, but I like this challenge that you're giving me. No, what I think that I'll do is put you and Thresh to sleep."

"What do you mean by that?" Akali awked, wondered if put to sleep was a euphemism for putting them down like a dog or killing them off for good. Thanatos laughed.

"Just putting you in a cryogenic chamber," Thanatos said with a smile. "I rather like this end game that we have here. But I'm going to postpone it just a little longer. You haven't played the game completely until you explore all the side quests and whatnot."

"You're absolutely crazy," Akali said.

"Genius is another side of madness, they say," Thanatos said, before he ushered the Summoners towards another hidden room, which was the cryogenic vault. "You and Thresh can take a nice long nap, to reflect on your sins…"

They put Akali into one of the cryogenic tubes, along with Thresh, restraining them. The lid to the cryogenic chamber crept up and cover Akali completely, while she attempted to escape from the restraints. Yet it was useless, fruitless, and as the gases inside the cryogenic chamber started to make her pass out, Akali's last conscious thought was she would kill Thanatos the next time she saw him.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

When Akali acted like nothing was wrong, that was when Zed got suspicious. He watched her carefully all this time; he made sure that he noted her mannerisms and little quirks and how she acted and interacted with other people. Zed took note of it all. When Akali didn't even bother throwing vitriol his way, he knew that something was up. He tried to mock her as usual, though Akali didn't respond to him like she usually would. She would usually furrow her brow in frustration or throw a kama at him if her anger in particular was roused, though the cold glint in Akali's eye when she ignored him had been more chilling than anything. Zed usually liked it when he stirred up anger within Akali—it meant that she was alive, that she was feeling emotions, though this new Akali was emotionless and cold. He didn't know what happened to her, though something suspicious happened to her. He wondered if Shen noticed the difference in Akali as well. He would be a fool not to. Shen was very close to Akali, as intimate with her as he had once been.

Shen confronted Zed about it one day, knowing that something was up. Zed and Shen no longer shared any love between them anymore, though Shen wanted an alternative perspective and went to see it from his enemy's view. Shen always tried to be neutral and enlightened; he took in broad perspectives from various sources and calmly and objectively reviewed them ll with patience and a keen intelligence that the eye of Twilight was known to have.

"Something is wrong with Akali," Shen said in a stiff formal greeting to Zed, to which Zed brandished his bldes.

"And whose fault is that, do you think?" Zed said.

"Are you implying that this entire matter is my fault?" Shen said in a toneless voice.

"What if I am?"

Shen remained silent for a moment, before saying, "I think you also played a role in this, Zed. Did you ever truly care for her?"

Zed's temper rose. "Shen, who was the one who didn't put his full trust in Akali and treated her like a child? I may have mocked her and tried to push her buttons, but I know that Akali is capable and you hold her back."

Shen's expression showed nothing, though there seemed to be despair in his voice when he said, "Zed, you can't understand. I'm trying to protect her."

"And what did that do? It led her to going somewhere she shouldn't have and now she's changed. I say this is your fault, Shen. You have to take responsibliity for this."

"You can't possibly understand," Shen said, as he now brandished his twin blades as a gesture of warning towards Zed. "I love her."

"You think I never did?" Zed said, to which he also raised his weapons towards Shen. "You always acted so self righteous and you refuse to admit your wrong because you believe yourself to be more objective and enlightened than other people. But Shen, I know that you're swayed by your emotions more than you let on. We were once like brothers, after all."

"Don 't…" Shen said in a warning whisper. "Don't talk about the past. That is behind us now."

"It seems that you and Akali both can't let go of the past and accept me for who I am," Zed sasid, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Looks like I need to beat some sense into you."

"Likewise," Shen said, and then they dashed towards one another in a mighty clash.

Zed overpowered Shen, though Shen still held sturdy and his own, because he was a tank rather than an outright attack damage beast. No matter how much Zed beat Shen down, Shen used his shields and innate sturdiness to endure Zed's punishment, and Shen in turn began to wear down Zed's stamina with his freakish endurance. Zed spun slashed Shen, while Shen blocked his slash with his twin swords, and taunted him so that Zed would be focusing him in an outright duel and couldn't escape. Their swords clinked and clashed with maddening ferocity, and Zed wanted nothing more than to tear Shen down, while Shen expressed the same sentiment.

No matter how Zed used his trickery and shadows, Shen would always be able to see right through him. They knew the other one's techniques very well. They used to train together all the time, honing their skills, trying to best one of the other, and Zed suddenly felt regret and wishing for the past as well. Though in battle, he felt that his emotions and whatnot could be expressed clearly in battle, and Zed cold steel anger got through to Shen, while Shen's frustration and despair clanged in his swords.

The match ended in a tiebreaker. The two men nearly killed one another, and the Summoners had to intervene to break them part.

"Enough of this," one Summoner said. "Zed, we expected trouble from you, though Shen, we expected better out of you. We're going to penalize you for fighting one another off the Summoner's Rift so that you can reflect on your sins."

Zed and Shen went obediently. They didn't argue with the Summoners, didn't resist, didn't do anything. The emotions they exhausted through their battle s till clanged and rang to the marrow of their bones. They were too worn to do anything else.

Zed and Shen were led into two separate cells that were next to one another. Zed back into one corner while Shen went to the other, apparently trying to meditate to calm his mind, while Zed was scheming a way to get out. Though first, he had a plan, though he wasn't sure if Shen would go along with it. Though Zed decided that he needed all the help that he could get, but he needed for the others to trust him first…

Zed figured it would be a long day in the cell.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Shen meditated into his cell. He heard news from Kennen that on the outside, The Champions were gathered into one dome like area of the Institute and told to wait there, as there was a Pandemic virus going around. Kennen, being a mischevious and slippery one, managed to break through the barricades without anyone noticing. Shen thanked Kennen for this news, and Kennen says that he will continue to investigate.

Zed remained in the other cell, not saying anything to Shen. Shen refused to speak to him. Zed pushed his buttons, and pressed him to the point of a great despair that he could not give voice to. The Summoners left them to their own devices…and yet Shen couldn't help but feel an ominous foreboding about this entire thing. Did it have something to do with Akali? The Summoners kept their secrets from the Champions, and Shen knew that the Summoners were up to something. But what it was, he never questioned it, never asked about it. He was loyal and steadfast and dedicated to his cause, of bringing balance to Ionia and the League institute.

Shen then thought about Zed.

They had been close, once, like brothers. As Zed had said. How did it all come down to this? They both had the same master. They both fell in love with the same girl. But their paths have wandered different ways, and Shen sadly thought that they would never intertwine again once like they had. Though Zed made him think for a while. He wondered if Zed wasn't completely heartless like the facade that he usually puts on in front of others. What if the entire thing was a facade? Did Zed play the role of the villain because that's what other people have forced him into? Were the Kinkou ninjas right after all? Or did Zed know something that could upset the balance of everything that he possibly knew?

Shen didn't know. However, he heard Zed rapping against the wall to get his attention.

"What do you want?" Shen said in an unusually sulky tone. He wasn't in the mood to talk to negotiate. "Haven't you done enough damage?"

"I was thinking of teaming together with you," Zed said. "I was reluctant to ask, though, because I knew you would be that way. You never really liked losing, did you, Shen? Well, I also hate to lose. That's why we need to find Akali…together."

"I don't think there can be any reparations," Shen said in a little sad tone, that meant he felt regret. "You killed my father."

Zed remained silent, before saying, "Fine, then. I'll do it on my own."

"I'd advise you not to rouse the Summoners any more than you have," Shen said, to which Zed snorted.

"Just watch me, Shen," Zed said.

"But it's going to be hard to break out of these cells to begin with," Shen said.

"I don't need your help," Zed said, to which he shook his head and said. "I won't bother you again, Shen. But remember…there is something that is going on in the League. If you refuse to do anything on it, you bear responsibility on your shoulders."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Zed decided to do this on his own. He didn't need the help of Shen. He would do this himself, and he did it alone before, and he could do it alone again. Zed simply allowed a moment of weakness to overcome him, and it was pathetic, begging for help from Shen like that. It's not like Shen would change his mind about him anytime soon. Now, he didn't expect Shen to accept him or forgive him. Zed did, after all, kill his father. Even so, he somewhat missed that former relationship that they once had, though he had to harden his heart. He had to. This was an important mission, one that he would not forsake and fail. He still cared about Akali, as much as she was convinced that he didn't have any feelings at all.

Zed slipped through the shadows and made his way out of the prison after memorizing the guard's routines and going when the power inhibitor had a maintenance check. With his newfound freedom, Zed was free to explore the institute as he wished. Though Zed felt as though things were a little too convenient. He expected more resistance, and there was a premonition of something foreboding on the horizon, though Zed tried to shake it off, yet it went chilled into his bones. Something was up, and Zed was determined to find out what happened to Akali.

Before he could make his way into the Institute, Zed felt another presence behind him. Either the Summoners let Shen out or Shen used his own escape method. He was a ninja, after all, and he shared the same training as Zed did. Once like brothers, they mirrored one another's abilities and talents. They also represented the duplicity of how one ninja strayed from his original path and the other was unwavering and steadfast in his own path.

"Shen," Zed said, brandishing his blades while Shen uncrossed his twin blades from his back.

"We're going to settle this once and for all," Shen said. "One of us may die here. I'm willing to put my life on the line for this."

"So foolish," Zed said, before he made the first thrust forward and slashed towards Shen's throat, which he artfully blocked with his twin blades. Sparks clashed from steel on steel, and Zed tried to overwhelm and overpower Shen, to show him that his conviction was wrong. "I should've known that you would stand against me and my path all this time. Shen, you thought you were the better mentor for Akali. I would've unlocked her true potential, her true power, if you haven't stifled the part of her that makes her strong."

"You've always been overly ambitious, Zed," Shen said. "Power isn't the road to everything. Forbidden knowledge isn't meant to be revealed. What will you do with all that, Zed? When you have the power and the forbidden knowledge that was kept secret for so long? Don't you see that you're being manipulated, that your judgment has been clouded?"

"I've never been able to think any clearer," Zed said as he continued to furiously slash and clash blades with Shen. "You've always held me back, just like you're holding back Akali. Such wasted potential."

Shen momentarily overpowered Zed, and then tackled him to the ground when Zed couldn't find a good position to maneuver his blades. They tumbled down a hill, and Shen landed on top, breathing furiously. It wasn't from exertion, but unbridled anger.

"Listen, Zed," Shen said. "I don't want to do this, but I think that I should eliminate you on the spot. You're only upsetting the Balance that has been carefully planted in place. You will ruin everything, and everything will go to chaos."

"I think what you're really afraid of, Shen," Zed said. "Is change."

"I'm not frightened by change," Shen said, trying to dig his blades into Zed. "You're fight against forces that are far greater than yourself. There needs to be a more strategic plan in place, something that will actually give us a fighting chance. You've always been the one to jump into headfirst into danger without considering the consequences. I've been planning something for a while, but if you act too hastily, everything I've worked up to will be ruined."

"Don't you think that you need to fight back?" Zed, said, a surge of anger and conviction souring through him as he shoved Shen off of him and took to overpowering Shen this time, trying to cut into Shen with his blade. "Instead of just letting things stay as they are? I know that something is going on—Shen, you may privy to something, or you may not know the whole story, but you've always never wanted to rock the boat or upset the Balance. But it was this forbidden knowledge and power that has brought me where I am, and it's going to upset the Balance, but it will promote change. That's what we need in this world. If we're not brave enough to face it, then we might as well not live."

"Zed! You do not know what you're messing with!" Shen said, and with renewed surge of energy to prove Shen wrong, both of them slashed at the other, finally breaking through one another's defense. Both narrowly missed the vital areas, though they still managed to cut through their armor and give one another grievous wounds.

Both stood up shakily from their positions on the ground and leapt back from one another, before collapsing again, putting enough distance between one another to nurse their wounds. The duel ended in a tie after all…did Shen predict this outcome, or did he just spare Zed's life? Zed hated the fact that he was spared; though some part of Zed would've spared Shen as well, if only because they once shared the bond of brothers previously.

 _I'm growing soft_ , Zed thought, before he realized another person came to witness their spectacle. Kennen.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Kennen had warned the Summoners about Zed and Shen duking it out, and Zed found himself being carried by a Summoner towards the Infirmary. He blacked out at one moment, though when he regained consciousness again, he took one of the nurses that was putting an IV in his arm hostage.

"Don't move," Zed said while his eyes narrowed towards them. "I know that something is going on, and you're going to give me answers. Tell me what happens when a champion dies, and where Akali is."

The nurse held in Zed's grasp appeared frightened at first, before something seemed to overtake her body. A chilling voice that wasn't her own resonted through her mouth, and a crooked smile overcame her features in a twisted grin. "You're defective just like the others," the nurse whispered, before Zed slashed her throat. However, he was disturbed to see that the nurse's corpse still moved after he hit her in a vital area, and she called out to the other nurses and Summoners to aid her.

Zed escaped as soon as he could.

He was so used to being on the run, of eluding authorities and enemies alike.

Zed made his way towards the only place that he could think of—the inner vaults of the League institute. He needed to discover the truth himself, before he died at the hands of the Summoners. Everything that he fought for, everything that he tried and did, was to expose the Summoners. He knew that Shen knew something was up, though Shen had been too afraid to make ripples in the pond of that small world. But now Zed knew that he would come close to what he sought, and he used his shadows and shadows clones to confuse and confound his pursuers.

Just when the Summoners were about to capture Zed, Zed felt an aura surrounding him, and a comforting presence that he thought would never join his side.

Shen joined the fray using his ultimate onZed to protect him, and once Shen was by Zed's side, he nodded towards the one whom he once called brother and said, "Let's end this."

"Agreed," Zed said, before they made their way towards the inner vaults of the institute together.

However, Summoner stood in their way. They tried to restrain and subdue Zed and Shen, though Shen easily overpowered them as the slipped through the main defenses that led to the inner vaults, where their destiny lay, apparently. Zed arrived there first, and he used his blade to pick the lock and went inside. What both Shen and Zed saw unnerved them.

They first saw the various clones sitting in their rejuvenation tanks of various champions, and then there was of course the morgue. But first, they had to find Akali. They searched and swept throughout the room, and Shen gestured for Zed to come over and look. Zed peered closer, and then he saw that Akali and Thresh were in a cryogenic chamber, frozen in place, unable to move.

"Let's get them out of there," Shen said, before he undid the cryogenic chamber for Akali while Zed released Thresh from his prison.

Both of them were dazed and disoriented.

"Where…what happened?" Akali said dazedly, and Shen held her hands within his own.

"Zed and I rescued you," Shen explained, and Akali turned to Zed in surprise.

"Zed?"

Zed turned away and pretended not to listen, though he thought he could catch a faint trace of a smile on her face.

"We've got to get out of here," Shen murmured. "There are lots of Summoners. They're going to surround us, but you and Thresh can fight, right?"

"Of course," Akali said, and Thresh scoffed.

"Please," Thresh said. "My wits haven't been completely addled. I thirst for the Summoner's blood."

"That's the spirit," murmured Akali in agreement.

The Summoner surrounded them, suddenly looking wary.

"You're going to regret this," One of the Summoners said. "It's a shame that that so many champions have found out about the existence of this chamber. Though no matter, we have Master Thanatos on our side."

"Don't waste your breath pleading for mercy," Zed said as he brandished his blades.

"Get ready," Shen murmured, and all the Champions wielded their weapons to fight against the Summoners. However, they heard the resounding laughter of a madman gone deranged, and Thanatos's voice resounded in their heads.

 _Well played. You've made it to the final levels of the game, haven't you? Now this is where the real fun begins!_

All of a sudden, the corpses from the morgue rose up and headed towards the Champions. Akali cursed underneath her breath and threw a kama at one of them, directly in the head. The various corpses of her friends and other Champions that she knew rose up one after another in a torrential wave, seeming to have no end to them. Zed slashed at them with his blades, Shen cut them down with his twin blades, Thresh used his scythe like weapon and chains to strangle and cut them. After a while, Thanatos seemed to grow bored of this spectacle, before saying, "Come now, this was a mere appetizer for the grand spectacle that is about to take place! You know your friends that we've quarantined into a certain area? Their souls are going to be sacrificed to me."

"What was your plan all this time, Thanatos," Akali said warily. "Immortality?"

"Precisely," Thanatos said. "This was all an experiment to test certain methods of immortality, true immortality instead of the false immortality that have been granted to the Champions every time that they die on the battlefield. Though I will leave you to these corpse minions while I make the preparations. Don't assume that you'll be leaving here alive."

With that, Thanatos's voice vanished, and the Champions cursed underneath their breaths. They were so close to finding out the truth, only to find out something as equally devastating as the truth that they've discovered; their friends are going to die. Horrified and pumped with adrenaline, they slashed through the corpses as though their lives depended on it.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"We have to find Thanatos," Akali said. "But has anyone seen his true body before?"

The others shook their heads.

"I think that we should head to the collisseum," Shen said. "Though what awaits us there, I cannot say."

"I think that there is a ritual of some sort going on," Thresh said, revealing to them the secret about Thanatos. "He was gathering souls through me for a ritual that he was preparing. Probably for his immortality project. He probably experimented on those souls first, perfected it, and now wants the souls of renowned warriors and greatest minds and whatnot. Us Champions."

"This is sounding even more deranged," Akali said, shaking her head. "I wouldn't have believed you before, but after everything that I've been through, I'm in no doubt any longer. We must put a stop to this."

"Indeed," Zed said, before a diminutive Yordle stood in their way.

"Akali!" Kennen said in relief, before he turned to look at Shen. "Thank goodness you two are safe. But…what're you doing with Zed?"

"It's a long story," Shen said. "But we're all allies now. So we better learn to get along with one another and form a temporary team to wipe out the Summoners from making Thanatos achieve the perfect body."

"Tell me the details," Kennen said as he ran alongside them swiftly, listening attentively as Akali told him about what she discovered the morgue and the clone rooms, and then her time in the cryogenic chamber, before Shen took over and told him about his suspicions about Akali and going to rescue her.

"I think I know where Thanatos is," Kennen said. "Though there are five Summoners that are performing the ritual and they have five champions that are being used as proxies. We need to get through those champions, then get to the Summoners, and then finally to Thanatos, I think."

"Where are they?" Akali asked, and Kennen charged ahead.

"Follow me."

They followed Kennen, and they saw that bright shining lights were being thrust into the air.

"Oh no," Shen murmured. "Are we too late?"

"Thanatos may be close to achieving his immortal body," Thresh explained. "Though we still need to go through the Champions and Summoners that are allowing him to achieve it. I have a proposal that may help lead us to victory."

"And that is?" Shen said.

"We attack Thanatos in his perfect body. It must take some time for the perfect body to assert itself even when the ritual is complete," Thresh explained. "He probably needs some time to adjust in that perfect body and that gives us the perfect opportunity to strike him down. If we can manage to get the Summoners and Champions that they're using as proxy out of the way first, then that's great. That would be most ideal. But I have a feeling if, worse comes to worse, we will have to rely on that one vulnerability if he has already achieved his perfect body."

"I see," Shen said while nodding. "Well, that's the best plan that we can come up with, might as well make use of it. Each one of you head to one of the lights, where the Summoner and their champion probably are. We all have our individual battles to fight. If it ends here, then we have fought valiantly to the end. Good luck, everyone."

"Right, Akali said, before they went their separate ways heading towards the light that served as a beacon for the Champions to their destinies


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Thresh made his way to one of the beacons of light, and he saw standing before him was the Maven of Strings, Sona. Though she was beautiful and played lovely music, she could kill with a sound from her etwahl or even heal with a certain melody. The sustain would be a pain, though Thresh would readily fight Sona if he had to. The Summoner was busy putting energy into one of the pillars that would serve as an anchor point for the ritual to take place, and Sona looked at Thresh with a sad glint in her eyes. Thresh knew that she didn't have the heart to kill and decimate her enemies like he did.

Yet it must be done.

They squared off with one another on the battlefield. Thresh lunged out his kurisagama, the scythe end, to capture Sona, though Sona swiftly dodged and sent out a sharp chord of power towards Thresh. Thresh tanked it and grunted slightly, though he knew that he had higher endurance and resistances than Sona did, who was very squishy. However, he had to do something about that sustain, which meant he had to harass her quite often when she came in to use her blue chord and autoattack with his own autoattacks, which were also quite formidable.

Thresh looked towards his opponent and started to fight in earnest.

—x—

Zed stood across Syndra. Her balls orbited around her menacingly, though Zed and Syndra were equally as powerful with one another, with Zed focusing on autoattacks and physical damage while Syndra was a fearsome mage. He would have to be wary when she summoned more balls and used her ultimate against him—that burst could quickly kill him, especially since Zed is squishy. They faced off with one another, with Zed throwing his shuriken at her and Syndra summoning her magical balls which he dodged with the admirable speed and skill of a ninja.

"You chose the wrong side, Zed," Syndra said with a bitterness in her tone which indicated that she hadn't forgiven him for choosing Akali over her. There was a time when both Zed and Syndra had been close because he had no one else, but Zed knew that somewhere in his heart, he would always harbor feelings for Akali. And yet, Zed also knew the pain of unreciprocated love, and he didn't blame Syndra for feeling bitter. He didn't want to fight his former friend, though her anger and bitterness propelled her to come at him with everything that she had.

So Zed would do the same.

—x—

Shen stood against Irelia. Here was the tank and the tank slayer. It would be an interesting matchup. Would Shen's defenses and resistances survive Irelia's true damage, or will Irelia overcome his natural tankiness and bulkiness and bring him down. Shen knew that he would have to endure a lot of pain, but he was used to pain, as a tank. He would take punishment that was meant for someone else and dive into the fray, taunting enemies and provoking them into targeting him instead of his allies. So he would keep Irelia focused solely on himself while the others were free to fight their own battles. Shen felt slight trepidation, wondering if this would be his last moment in Runeterra. Her seriously doubted that the Summoners would revive him after his rebellion with Akali and the others.

So he had to make best use of his chance that he can. So Shen made the first move, dashing forward and taunting Irelia with his Shadow dash, while Irelia met him with equal fervor.

—x—

Kennen stared down at Teemo. Teemo never opened his eyes, though he simply serenely nodded in Kennen's direction. His blood lust fervor mode hasn't activated yet, but some part of Teemo always relished the bloodshed and violence of war. Something in him changed after he was recruited as a Scout. But Kennen knew that he would have to fight against Teemo one day, and as much as he didn't like the idea of fighting against his fellow Yordles, he knew that he must do this. Teemo prepped by planting shrooms in the area. Kennen knew he had to avoid those shrooms to avoid getting bursted and poisoned. And the blinding dart was something to watch out for too. All Kennen needed to do was keep a level head, and he should be fine.

Though, Kennen was normally jovial and kind, his demeanor had changed. Their lives were at stake. Even though he had to fight Teemo, he was doing this to save them all. There was no other choice, was there? Kennen threw his shuriken and charged forward in a great spark of electricity surrounding his body.

—x—

Finally, Akali herself stood down against Ahri. She was a dangerous opponent, as beautiful as she was deadly. Akali knew that she had to worry about her ranged autoattacks, though Akali knew that once she gathered enough charges for her Shadow Dash abilities, she would be able to burst down the fox as she had planned. She also knew that Ahri's abilities went in a straight line, though her tricky maneuvering could guide her ball from any direction and strike back true damage wherever Ahri goes. Despite Ahri's dashes, however, Akali also had dashes, and she knew that she could keep up with the fox's mobility. However, this didn't mean it would be an easy matchup.

Akali needed to be wary of Ahri's charm. That was the one thing that could screw her over as an assassin. Even if It was a one on one, Akali knew that Ahri would be able to hit most of her damage through her charm, making Akali an easier target to hit with her skillshots. Akali held onto her kamas, gripping them tightly. She needed to do this to save everyone.

With that, Akali threw her kama and moved her body towards battle.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Thresh landed the hook. It was just as he predicted. Sona came forth to charge her blue powerchord and autoattack to chunk him down, so he hooked her in return before she could retreat. He then punished her with a flay and autoattacks, before giving one last final attack with his sickle before retreating. Sona retreated as well, saying nothing, but her expression looked pained. She didn't want to fight Thresh. Yet she was being forced against her will by the Summoner that was controlling her. She had no other choice.

Sona healed herself with a calming melody that shielded her and gave her sustain. Thresh had no such sustain, though he would patiently wear her down and all in her when the time was right. She was squishy, and Thresh knew that he could overpower the Maven with his abilities if given the opportunity. Still, he had to give respect to the Maven of Strings. She was a powerful fighter, deceptively powerful, and those who didn't go into battle with her without caution would find themselves chunked down with a small amount of burst from her blue empowered autoattack and blue power chord.

This battle would not be easy, especially with Sona's sustain. Though there is a possibility that he could wear Sona down and make her chunk down her mana; which involved strategically placed autoattacks here and there while conserving his own mana.

He flailed his chains and sickle, while blue bursts of energy came from the etwahl that she carried. It was an intense battle of supports, and both of them knew their role well. Both aggressive supports that would wear down the other enemy, their battle against one another was like an intricate dance that was a flurry of autoattacks and abilities.

Thresh knew he needed to do something to turn the tides of the battle. He was low health now, and Sona sustained just a bit that she had a health advantage over him. Both of them were worn out, exhausted, and not only that, but the Summoner that was controlling Sona was still around to help should she fall. But the most important thing that Thresh do is defeat Sona. That might distract the Summoner enough so that he wouldn't have to continue performing the ritual that would give Thanatos his perfect body.

Thresh suddenly wondered; would this idea work? What if he attacked the Summoner first instead of Sona? If he hit the Summoner, it would distract him and make him lose control over his Champion. But the problem was getting there in the first place. Still, Thresh was patient. He waited for opportunities. He could also make them, too.

With one last desperado attempt, Thresh hooked Sona and lured himself in— but instead of targeting Sona, he ran towards the Summoner that he could see was astonished by this ploy. His hold over Sona was temporarily broken, and Sona stopped attacking Thresh while Thresh grabbed the Summoner with a gauntleted hand

"Checkmate," Thresh said

—x—

Syndra was furious with him. Syndra could have quite a temper, and coupled with her unstoppable power, she was even more dangerous. Zed dodged her magical balls, though one managed to exploded at his feet and cause him to crash down on the ground with a thud. She stunned him with the ball that was on the ground, and then hovered close to him, seething.

"I don't care about your personal battle with the Summoners," Syndra said through gritted teeth. "But I want to know why you abandoned me for her."

"Syndra," Zed murmured, wondering if he had to use his persuasion skills to help calm down Syndra and make her fight the Summoner with him instead of attacking himself. "Akali and I are on your side. IF you would just listen, then…"

"I don't care to hear whimpering words from the weak," Syndra said with a haughty stare. "I will eliminate you right here so that there is no trace of your existence left."

"Then it looks like I'll have to beat some common sense into you, woman!" Zed said with a roar, emerging from his stunned state and slashing at Syndra with his blades and hurling shurikens when she retreated from him, her spells on cooldown.

"You dare strike against me?" Syndra said with equal fervor, before saying. "I will kill you, Zed. I promise you this."

"Woman, your final option is always about killing someone!" Zed said. "I made a fatal mistake in the past, but I have to live with it. But there is time to change from our past mistakes and move to a better future. The fate of all the CHampions; not just you, not just me, but all of us; is that we're going to die, if we don't team up together and take down your Summoner!"

"Ha!" Syndra said. "Who knew that Zed would be easily swayed by fools that spout nonsense. You're weak, Zed. I have no use for a weak partner."

"Just listen!" Zed shouted at her as he decided to use his ult on her; he really didn't want to do this, but maybe if he did, she would finally get it through her thick skull. "Syndra, you're forcing me to do this. You're trapped now. Do you yield?"

Syndra, suddenly wary, knew that her life was at stake. Some part of her also loved Zed still, as she said, "Such foolishness. I am a weak woman. Just…go Zed."

"Thank you, Syndra," Zed said with a nod towards her direction, before he rushed towards the Summoner that was performing the ritual and held a blade to his throat.

"Tell Syndra the truth," Zed said in a dark tone.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Shen knew this would be a battle of endurance. Yet the thing was, Irelia could also be tanky when it came down to it and still deal tons of damage. Shen found himself in a strategic dilemma, and calculated that this would be a losing matchup. Irelia was simply too strong. She thought that Shen had defected from the Summoners, and was now going at him with a relentless, righteous fury. Betraying the Summoners was like betraying Ionia, she believed. So Shen had to find a way to appeal to her emotions, which were overtaken by her own nationalistic pride in Ionia and also the Summoner amplifying the emotions that she felt and funneling them towards Shen in a spear.

"I'm going to defeat those who stand against Ionia and the Summoners," Irelia said to Shen. "Even if you were a fellow Ionian, such kinship no longer exists between us. You're an enemy, and I must eliminate those who stand against Ionia and the Summoners."

"You've been brainwashed," Shen concluded, before saying. "I suppose I have no choice. I will not fight against you to prove that I'm not an enemy. Our enemy is the Summoner that is controlling you."

"I refuse to believe it!" Irelia said with an intense shake of her head, her long black hair swaying. "Nonsense! I will not be swayed by your propoganda! THe Summoners said that you and the others would try to stop them from curing us!"

"Beat me down as much as you'd like," Shen said. "But you will not defeat me."

With that, Irelia used her blades to beat down on Shen, shouting curses at him all the while. Shen used his twin blades to block her telepathic blade from hitting him; he knew that taking a cut from that would be fatal to him, even though he was a tank, because Irelia could do true damage to him. So he would have to block her attacks and try to persuade her to the other side, but he wasn't sure how he would do that. He needed time to think, but Irelia gave him no time to think.

"Why do you stand in our way, Shen?" Irelia cried as she rained a flurry of attacks with her blade. "What makes you stand there and endure all the punishment I'm giving you?"

"I don't know," Shen said. "I don't have a clue myself. So much for the enlightened Eye of Twilight. Even still. I cherish our friendships and our ties. All the Champions are important to me, and they must live if we want to forge a better future for ourselves. I will not stand down. I will continue to resist you and the Summoners as long as I may live."

"A foolish choice, Shen," Irelia said regretfully. "You're only a mere band of five, and the Summoners are many."

"I'm fighting for what is right," Shen said. "Irelia, look deep inside yourself. Are those really your sentiments towards us? Do you really hold such blind faith in the Summoners? Or are your emotions being manipulated?"

"I…" irelia said, looking hesitant for a moment, before her pride took over her. "No! I must not give in!"

"Then I have no choice," Shen said, before he dashed through Irelia to focus all her attention on him and not what he was doing. She followed him in a righteous fury, and Shen was being worn down, but if he could just do this one thing…

Shen thrust his spirit blade towards the Summoner, putting his soul on the line. He severed the control that the Summoner held over Irelia, and it was only then that she stopped attacking on Shen and looked dazed, as though she were in a dream.

"Where am I?" She said in a distant voice.

"You're fighting alongside a friend to protect Ionia," Shen said. "Come, Irelia. Let's work together to stop the Summoners from killing everyone else."

—x—

Kennen shocked Teemo, attempting to put as many sparks as possible into his lightning attacks to shock some sense into Teemo. But none of it seemed to be working. Instead, Teemo only saw Kennen as an enemy, and brutally went on, enduring whatever pain or shock or torture that Kennen would unleash upon him and continued to fight and resist his every move.

"You're going down," Teemo said warningly to his fellow Yordle.

"Teemo, you're not going to stop me from doing this," Kennen said, his normally jovial demeanor gone now. Instead, there was only a harsh look to his expression, and he was somewhat pained to do this to Teemo. "Listen, the Summoners are going to kill us all. Don't you understand that."

"I do…" Teemo said sadly. 'But what does it matter? I wanted to die on the battlefield on my own terms rather than dying by the Summoners."

"But don't you see?" Kennen asked. "You don't have to die at all! You can still fight, for a righteous cause! You can overthrow the Summoner's tyranny!"

"What hope do we have against them?" Teemo asked. "Why do you struggle to fight against them even if it's hopeless?"

"I'm not as battle crazy as you are, Teemo," Kennen said. "But I'm fighting for the balance of Runeterra. I'm fighting for our friends. You know this isn't right, don't you? You don't want to see any more friends die, do you?"

Teemo paused, as though Kennen's words finally sunk into him. "Friends…"

Kennen held out a pawed hand towards Teemo. "The war will be over after this, Teemo. I promise. You're still fighting against your previous demons. Don't you want to fight for a just cause and vanquish those demons once and for all?"

Teemo shook his head, before saying, "I might as well fight for the friends I have lost, and the friends that I still have. Thank you, Kennen."

With that, Teemo threw a blinding dart at the Summoner controlling him, while Kennen finished him off with a shock stun. The two Yordles high fived one another after that, and they looked out towards the distance where the final Summoner was being fought.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Akali didn't know about this matchup. Sure, she matched Ahri's mobility, though Ahri had her Charm which could screw her over at any moment. That's the key thing that she needed to watch out for. If she could dodge Ahri's charm, then dodging the rest of her abilities should be easy. Though Akali wondered if she could persuade the Fox to not fight against her. She didn't want to fight against her dear friend Ahri, and Ahri must've shared the same sentiments, though the Summoner forced her into doing so. This was why Akali needed to win; to save all the Champions. Not just herself and her friends, but everyone. Odd, she thought, how they managed to gather together under these perilous circumstances. She never would've dreamed she would've teamed up with Zed and Thresh of all people to take down the Summoners, though she was glad that the rest of the Kinkou ninja members were there to support her as well. She knew that they would have her back, no matter what.

Speaking of Shen…she wondered how he was doing in his battle. How the others were doing. Ahri threw her orb out at Akali, distracting her from her thoughts.

"Getting distracted on the battlefield is a sure way to get killed," Ahri said. "As a predator, I can sense weakness."

Akali shook her head, before saying, "You're right, Ahri. I'm going to give this battle my all. As much as I'm pained to fight against a friend, I must do this. This is where my path leads."

"I too, sister," Ahri said, before she reluctantly stepped forward and faced Akali square in the face. "We're on opposing sides, yet we share the same sentiments. We're only doing this for the people that we care about."

"Do you realize that the Summoners are planning to exterminate you all?" Akali asked, before Ahri looked away.

"We have no other choice. Sometimes when there's a bigger predator on the battlefield, you have no choice but to yield to it and try not to anger it. The Summoners are a great, ancient evil that we've served under all these years. But we survived together with them because they spared us Champions. What else are we supposed to do, when the hand that provides for us can also kill us?"

"We need to fight," Akali insisted, as she picked up her kamas and stepped forward towards Ahri. "Even if it's hopeless, because then we've fought to promote change. If things stay as they are, then Thanatos will enslave this world."

"Akali," Ahri said. "I don't think we can exchange any more words on the matter. I don't think that there's any way out of this situation, and fighting against the Summoner is a hopeless battle."

"Then I'll win," Akali vowed. "I'll win and convince you that it's possible. If I die, then I died fighting, and I can die without regrets."

"That's just how you are," Ahri said with a sad smile. "Then…shall we?"

Akali was the one who made the first move. She threw her kama towards Ahri to harass her, while Ahri whipped her orb into Akali's face as an autoattack to chunk some damage from her. This was a ranged versus melee matchup, o Akali had to play it careful, especially since she didn't have her true burst damage until just a little while longer. She needed to build up charges for her Shadow Dance, and with that, she would have hope of taking down Ahri. Though Akali meant what she said. She would show Ahri that it was possible to fight against the odds. She didn't know what made Ahri give up so easily, because that wasn't the sister she had known, but she also knew that Thanatos was steadily gaining more power and the more she hesitated and thought about it, he will finally be able to achieve the perfect body that he wanted.

They danced and weaved and ducked and dodged blows like it was a sinuous dance. Both Akali and Ahri were mobile champions that could easily dodge attacks and advance on their hapless target. Akali knew that she needed to play smart and to avoid Ahri's charm at all costs, or she could be finished. She dodged each charm that Ahri blew in her direction, though she was weaker than Ahri at the moment, mainly because she was melee and Ahri was ranged. Not to mention that Akali could do much without her Shadow Dances. It was a technique that she learned through Zed, drawing upon the shadows and using their fluidity and stretching and expanding states to cover far distances.

Akali then knew she had an opportunity to present itself. She needed to take Ahri down before the time limit was up, before Thanatos could achieve his perfect body. She immediately dashed in and held her blades to Ahri's throat, to which she yielded afterwards. Unfortunately, the thing that Ahri said after was the last thing that she wanted to hear.

"You may have persuaded me," Ahri said. But you're too late."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

All the other gathered together after they defeated their respective opponents and took out the opposing Summoners. Shen joined up with Akali, before Akali looked towards Shen with dead eyes and said, "We're too late."

"You mean…" Shen said, before Zed intervened.

"It looks like Thanatos has achieved his perfect body. Though fighting these battles were necessary, we were still damned if we went straight to him, because there would've been both Summoners and Champions after us. However, if we didn't fight, then we would've had the Summoners and other Champions to deal with. It's a dilemma that gave us a hard choice, and it looks like we have to pay the ultimate price for it."

"It's not over yet!" Kennen declared, though the other Champion's faces looked downcast. They knew it was a hard battle ahead, and Akali looked more determined then ever.

"I have to put a stop to this," Akali said, while Ahri put a hand on Akali's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, sister," Ahri said. "It may not be very comforting, but at least I'm on your side now. Though what do we do?"

"We have to assume that Thanatos has some time to adjust to his perfect body," Shen said. "That's our only hope. We need to strike hard and fast. We must catch him off guard and prevent him from complete evolving into his perfect body."

"Agreed," Akali said, before all of them dashed towards the battlefield, where Thanatos awaited them.

"Welcome," Thanatos said. "You've reached the deepest dungeon in the game; the final boss, you could say! So how do you feel? Do you like this game? But no that there are no continues or resets after this one battle. Your lives are at stake here, and it means game over for you guys once I kill you. Will you still fight, knowing that will happen."

"We will never submit to you, Thanatos," Akali said in a harsh voice. "You killed Kai, one of your own. Your reign of terror is not going to be allowed to even begin. We will fight you…all of us. Together."

"Then, you have resigned your lives!" Thanatos said, before wings emerged from his back and he achieved a god like status from his perfect body. Akali prepared herself, along with the others, to fight against him. It would be a tough battle, they knew, but at least they all would die fighting instead of curling their tails between their legs.

Akali, Ahri, and Zed waited in the back, looking for a perfect opportunity to assassinate Thanatos while Shen went ahead of the fray to tank their damage. Teemo started to set up some shrooms and Kennen prepared his stuns on Thanatos. Irelia joined the fray as well alongside Shen, a new determined look in her eyes that showed her fervor and passion for the match, that she knew that her fellow friends were in danger and that she had to fight for their lives. Shen tanked a great big blast of energy from Thanatos' hand, and Akali noticed that his right arm was mutating into something almost demonic like. Ahri threw out her orb and he absorbed it in his left hand, becoming stronger.

"No good," Ahri murmured. "He can absorb attacks with his left hand."

"Noted," Akali said, before she dashed into use physical attacks on Thanatos' left arm, to sever it. She managed to do so, however, something horrifying happened; his arm regrew back into its normal self again, though it no longer had the demonic markings from before. But it slowly started to corrupt and turn more demonic as time passed on, so it seems like they'll have to keep on cutting off that arm and severing it if they didn't want him to absorb their abilities with that hand.

"Shen!" Akali said. "Taunt him and make sure that he only attacks you. I've got an idea."

Shen nodded, not questioning her, and Shen taunted Thanatos so that he would attack Shen only. Something strange happened, and Shen almost looked mechanical, then he slumped, as though he were a marionette with its strings cut off. Then he looked towards Akali, pain in his eyes, while he walked towards her and attempted to taunt her. However, Ahri dashed in the way and took the taunt for Akali, saying, "looks like he can control either one of us as well if he makes physical eye contact. I don't know how long it lasts, but at least I'll keep Shen busy while you figure out how to defeat him!"

Akali nodded, before she and Zed did a Shadow combo on Thanatos together. Yet even with their moves, they couldn't put a scratch on Thanatos.

"There's one last thing that we need to do," Akali said. "Thresh, your lanturn can contain spiritual energy, can't it?"

"Yes," Thresh said while Ahri was still fighting Shen and Thanatos unfurled his wings, one angelic and one demonic.

"We need to gather all the energy of ourselves and the champions into this lantern," akali explained. "And then we will unleash all that energy onto Thanatos before he turns into a God. How does that sound?"

"Might as well try it," Thresh murmured, before he started to gather teh energy of all the Champions within the League into his lantern. Shen managed to snap into his senses after Ahri charmed him, regaining his senses to be on their side once more. Akali took Thresh's lantern, gathering all the souls and spiritual energies and everything that came before It in his latnern, before imbuing it with herself to strike the final blow.

Thanatos screamed. His body started to disintegrate, and mutate into something more amorphous and horrifying to look at instead of the perfect body that he wanted. Once he was down, all of them struck together and landed the final killing blow, until Thanatos broke away into several parts and disintegrated into several pieces of pure energy.

Akali could hardly believe it. Did they win? Have they really won? Yet there was so much more work to do, and she was tired. She collapsed into Shen's arms, and listened to the sound of his heartbeat while she took a long, wary rest.


	26. Epilogue

Epilogue

The Champions slowly restored peace to Runeterra, though this job wasn't easy. The Kinkou ninjas told the Champions what happened with them and that they were saved from a god slaying tyrant. The other Champions were also shown the truth behind the room where their dead bodies and clones lay, and this led to a rebellion against the Summoners and the Champions demanded to be free from their rule. Akali told the Summoners that their leader was gone now and their experiment had been a failure; that if they wished to live, they would collaberate with the Champions and find ways to reverse the effects that have been done to them. Giving back their memories, sending them off to their proper afterlives.

For they were heroes from different worlds and pasts that were killed in their prime and their souls were held in a kind of stasis for Thanatos to perfect the art of immortality and achieve his perfect body. The Champions didn't know what to do now that the big secret is exposed and some of them even lost their purpose and dignity. Yet Akali knew that this was the best choice, for they were under the shackles of Summoner oppression from before. Even if the truth were harsh, it still sets you free.

Akali twined hands with Shen, who looked lovingly in her eyes.

"Is this really the right path?" Akali murmured, before Shen nodded.

"The right path isn't necessarily the easiest one, but at least you're being guided by a good conscience and heart. I know that you will make this work, Akali."

"I hope so," AKali said, before Zed stepped in and said.

"Akali, you've far surpassed me as your mentor. There is nothing left for me to teach you."

"Thanks, Zed," Akali said with a smile, before she put Zed's hand onto Shen's hand. "Promise that you two will be brothers again? I hope that Zed will be the uncle to my little one."

"You're pregnant, Akali?" Zed asked, while Akali nodded, looking at the slight swell in her belly.

"I want there to be a hopeful future for my child," Akali said. "Even if this world is imperfect, I want to share something beautiful with my child, which is living."

"You'll make a good mother, Akali," Zed said, while Akali smiled towards Zed.

"Thank you. Knowing that I have you support as well…I feel like I can confidently do anything."

"Thresh is currently guiding some Champions back into the afterlife," Shen said, before Akali nodded.

"I know. Some chose to move onto another life instead of staying here in Runeterra. But who could blame them? They were stuck and stagnant in this world, and living onto another life is the best opportunity for them to grow. But I felt like staying here is the best for me. I want to fix this world and change it so that others can live here properly."

"That's an admirable goal," Shen said as he kissed her. "I'll make sure that our child only grows up knowing times of peace."

"I would like that, very much," Akali said, before she looked off into the distant sky, staring at the stars and wondering just how many beautiful stories the constellations told of the Champions and their stories.


End file.
